Human NIM1 kinase

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a human NIM1 kinase, an encoding nucleic acid molecule, and an antibody that specifically binds the protein. The invention also provides for the use of these compositions in the characterization, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders associated NIM1 kinase expression.

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 09/523,849, filed Mar. 13, 2000.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to human NIM1 kinase, its encoding nucleic acid and an antibody that specifically binds human NIM1 kinase and to the use of these compositions in the characterization, diagnosis, and treatment of brain disorders and cancers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Phylogenetic relationships among organisms have been demonstrated many times, and studies from a diversity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms suggest a more or less gradual evolution of molecules, biochemical and physiological mechanisms, and metabolic pathways. Despite different evolutionary pressures, the protein kinases of nematode, fly, rat, and man have common chemical and structural features and modulate the same general cellular activity. Comparisons of the nucleic acid and protein sequences from organisms where structure and/or function are known accelerate the investigation of human sequences and allow the development of model systems for testing diagnostic and therapeutic agents for human disorders.

[0004] Protein kinases regulate many different cell proliferation, differentiation, and signaling processes by adding phosphate groups to proteins. Uncontrolled signaling has been implicated in a variety of disease conditions including inflammation, cancer, arteriosclerosis, and psoriasis. Reversible protein phosphorylation is the main strategy for controlling activities of eukaryotic cells. It is estimated that more than 1000 of the 10,000 proteins active in a typical mammalian cell are phosphorylated. The high energy phosphate which drives activation is generally transferred from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to a particular protein by protein kinases and removed from that protein by protein phosphatases. Phosphorylation is roughly analogous to turning on a molecular switch, and it occurs in response to extracellular signals (mediated by such molecules as hormones, neurotransmitters, and growth and differentiation factors), cell cycle checkpoints, and environmental or nutritional stresses. When the switch goes on, the appropriate protein kinase activates a metabolic enzyme, regulatory protein, receptor, cytoskeletal protein, ion channel or pump, or transcription factor.

[0005] The protein kinases comprise the largest known protein group, a superfamily of enzymes with widely varied functions and specificities. They are usually named after their substrate, their regulatory molecules, or some aspect of a mutant phenotype. With regard to substrates, the protein kinases may be roughly divided into two groups; those that phosphorylate tyrosine residues (protein tyrosine kinases, PTK) and those that phosphorylate serine or threonine residues (serine/threonine kinases, STK). A few protein kinases have dual specificity and phosphorylate both threonine and tyrosine residues.

[0006] Protein kinases may be categorized into families by the different amino acid residues (generally between 5 and 100 residues) located on either side of, or inserted into loops of, the catalytic domain. These residues allow the regulation of each kinase as it recognizes and interacts with its target protein. Almost all kinases contain a similar 250-300 amino acid catalytic domain with 11 subdomains distributed across two lobes. The N-terminal lobe, which contains subdomains I-IV, binds and orients the ATP donor molecule. The larger C terminal lobe, which contains subdomains VIA-XI, binds the protein substrate and carries out the transfer of the gamma phosphate from ATP to the hydroxyl group of a serine, threonine, or tyrosine residue. Subdomain V spans the N and C terminal lobes.

[0007] Each of the 11 subdomains contain specific residues and motifs or patterns of amino acids that are characteristic of that subdomain and are highly conserved (Hardie and Hanks (1995) The Protein Kinase Facts Books, Vol I, Academic Press, San Diego Calif., pp. 7-20). In particular, two protein kinase signature sequences have been identified in the kinase domain, the first containing an active site lysine residue involved in ATP binding, and the second containing an aspartate residue important for catalytic activity. If a protein is found to contain the two protein kinase signatures, the probability of that protein being a protein kinase is close to 100% (MOTIFS search program, Accelrys, San Diego Calif.; Bairoch et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res 24:189-196).

[0008] STK Families

[0009] The second messenger dependent protein kinases primarily mediate the effects of second messengers such as cyclic AMP (cAMP), cyclic GMP, inositol triphosphate, phosphatidylinositol, 3,4,5-triphosphate, cyclic ADP ribose, arachidonic acid, diacylglycerol and calcium-calmodulin. The cyclic-AMP dependent protein kinases (PKA) are important members of the STK family. cAMP is an intracellular mediator of hormone action in all prokaryotic and animal cells that have been studied. Such hormone-induced cellular responses include thyroid hormone secretion, cortisol secretion, progesterone secretion, glycogen breakdown, bone resorption, and regulation of heart rate and force of heart muscle contraction. PKA is found in all animal cells and is thought to account for the effects of cAMP in most of these cells. Altered PKA expression is implicated in a variety of disorders and diseases including cancer, thyroid disorders, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease (Isselbacher et al. (1994) Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, McGraw-Hill, New York N.Y., pp. 416-431 and 1887).

[0010] Calcium-calmodulin (CaM) dependent protein kinases are also members of STK family. Calmodulin is a calcium receptor that mediates many calcium regulated processes by binding to target proteins in response to the binding of calcium. The principle target protein in these processes is CaM dependent protein kinases (CaMK). CaMK are involved in regulation of smooth muscle contraction, glycogen breakdown (phosphorylase kinase), and neurotransmission (CaMK I and CaMK II). CaMK I phosphorylates a variety of substrates including the neurotransmitter related proteins synapsin I and II, the gene transcription regulator, CREB, and the cystic fibrosis conductance regulator protein, CFTR (Haribabu et al. (1995) EMBO J 14:3679-86). CaMK II also phosphorylates synapsin at different sites and controls the synthesis of catecholamines in the brain through phosphorylation and activation of tyrosine hydroxylase. Many of the CaMK are activated by phosphorylation in addition to binding to CaM. CaMK may autophosphorylate or be phosphorylated by another kinase as part of a “kinase cascade”.

[0011] Another ligand-activated protein kinase is 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK; Dyck et al. (1996) J Biol Chem 271:17998-17803). Mammalian AMPK is a regulator of fatty acid and sterol synthesis through phosphorylation of the enzymes acetyl-CoA carboxylase and hydroxymethyl glutaryl-CoA reductase and mediates responses of these pathways to cellular stresses such as heat shock and depletion of glucose and ATP. AMPK is a heterotrimeric complex comprised of a catalytic alpha subunit and two non-catalytic beta and gamma subunits that are believed to regulate the activity of the alpha subunit. Subunits of AMPK have a much wider distribution in non-lipogenic tissues such as brain, heart, spleen, and lung than expected. This distribution suggests that its role may extend beyond regulation of lipid metabolism alone.

[0012] The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) are also members of the STK family, and they regulate intracellular signaling pathways. MAPK mediate signal transduction from the cell surface to the nucleus via phosphorylation cascades. Several subgroups have been identified, and each manifests different substrate specificities and responds to distinct extracellular stimuli (Egan and Weinberg (1993) Nature 365:781-783). MAP kinase signaling pathways are present in mammalian cells as well as in yeast. The extracellular stimuli which activate mammalian pathways include epidermal growth factor, ultraviolet light, hyperosmolar medium, heat shock, endotoxic lipopolysaccharide, and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1. Altered MAPK expression is implicated in a variety of disease conditions including cancer, inflammation, immune disorders, and disorders affecting growth and development.

[0013] Proliferation-related kinase (PRK) is a serum/cytokine inducible STK that is involved in regulation of the cell cycle and cell proliferation in human megakaroytic cells (Li et al. (1996) J Biol Chem 271:19402-8). PRK is related to the polo family of STKs implicated in cell division. PRK is downregulated in lung tumor tissue and may be a proto-oncogene whose deregulated expression in normal tissue leads to oncogenic transformation.

[0014] The cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) are another group of STKs that control the progression of cells through the cell cycle. Cyclins are small regulatory proteins that act by binding to and activating CDKs which then trigger various phases of the cell cycle by phosphorylating and activating selected proteins involved in the mitotic process. CDKs are unique in that they require multiple inputs to become activated. In addition to the binding of cyclin, CDK activation requires the phosphorylation of a specific threonine residue and the dephosphorylation of a specific tyrosine residue.

[0015] The discovery of human NIM1 kinase, a nucleic acid molecule encoding the protein and an antibody that specifically binds the protein provides new compositions which are useful in the characterization, diagnosis, and treatment of brain disorders and cancers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The invention is based on the discovery of human NIM1 kinase (hNIM1), its encoding nucleic acid, and an antibody that specifically binds the protein. The invention provides compositions useful in the characterization, diagnosis, and treatment of brain disorders and cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate.

[0017] The invention provides a purified nucleic acid molecule which encodes the human NIM1 kinase comprising SEQ ID NO:2. The invention also provides a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO:1 or the complement thereof. The invention also provides a composition comprising the nucleic acid molecule having the nucleic sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or the complement thereof and a labeling moiety. The invention further provides a mammalian variant of the nucleic acid molecule selected from SEQ ID NOs:24-30. The invention still further provides a fragment of at least 18 consecutive nucleotides selected from about nucleotide 414 to about 1414 of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NOs:3-30, or the complements thereof. In one aspect, the invention provides a substrate upon which at least one of these fragments or complements is immobilized. In a second aspect, the invention provides a probe which can be used in methods of detection, screening, and purification. In a further aspect, the probe comprises a single stranded complementary RNA or DNA molecule.

[0018] The invention provides a method for detecting a nucleic acid molecule in a sample, the method comprising hybridizing a probe or complementary nucleic acid molecule to at least one nucleic acid in a sample, forming a hybridization complex; and detecting the hybridization complex, wherein the presence of the hybridization complex indicates the presence of the nucleic acid molecule in the sample. In one aspect, the method further comprises amplifying the nucleic acids of the sample prior to hybridization. The nucleic acid molecule or a fragment or a complement thereof may comprise an element on an array.

[0019] The invention provides a method for using a nucleic acid molecule or a fragment or a complement thereof to screen a library of molecules or compounds to identify at least one ligand which specifically binds the nucleic acid molecule, the method comprising combining the nucleic acid molecule with a library of molecules or compounds under conditions allowing specific binding, and detecting specific binding to the nucleic acid molecule, thereby identifying a ligand which specifically binds the nucleic acid molecule. In one aspect, the libraries of molecules and compounds include DNA molecules, enhancers, peptide nucleic acids, peptides, proteins, RNA molecules, and transcription factors.

[0020] The invention provides an expression vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule and a host cell comprising the vector. The invention also provides a method for producing a protein, the method comprising culturing the host cell under conditions for the expression of the protein and recovering the protein from the host cell culture.

[0021] The invention provides a purified protein comprising a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2. The invention also provides a composition comprising the protein and a labeling moiety, a composition comprising the protein and a pharmaceutical carrier, and an array element comprising the protein. The invention further provides substrate upon which the protein is immobilized.

[0022] The invention provides a method for detecting differential expression of a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 in a sample, the method comprising performing an assay to determine the amount of the protein in a sample; and comparing the amount of protein to standards, thereby detecting differential expression of the protein in the sample. In one aspect, the assay is selected from two-dimensional polyacrylamide electrophoresis, western analysis, mass spectrophotometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay , radioimmunoassay, fluorescence activated cell sorting, and array technology. In a second aspect, the sample is from brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate. In a third aspect, the protein is differentially expressed when compared with standards and is diagnostic of brain disorders or cancer.

[0023] The invention provides a method for using a protein to screen a plurality of molecules and compounds to identify at least one ligand, the method comprising combining the protein with a plurality of molecules and compounds under conditions to allow specific binding; and detecting specific binding, thereby identifying a ligand that specifically binds the protein. In one aspect, the molecules and compounds are selected from agonists, antagonists, bispecific molecules, DNA molecules, small drug molecules, immunoglobulins, inhibitors, mimetics, multispecific molecules, peptides, peptide nucleic acids, pharmaceutical agent, proteins, and RNA molecules. The invention also provides a method for using a protein to identify an antibody that specifically binds the protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 comprising contacting a plurality of antibodies with the protein under conditions to allow specific binding, and detecting specific binding between an antibody and the protein, thereby identifying an antibody that specifically binds the protein. In one aspect, the plurality of antibodies are selected from a polyclonal antibody, a monoclonal antibody, a chimeric antibody, a recombinant antibody, a humanized antibody, a single chain antibody, a Fab fragment, an F(ab′)₂ fragment, an Fv fragment; and an antibody-peptide fusion protein.

[0024] The invention provides a method of using a protein to prepare and purify a polyclonal antibody comprising immunizing an animal with the protein under conditions to elicit an antibody response; isolating animal antibodies; attaching the protein to a substrate; contacting the substrate with isolated antibodies under conditions to allow specific binding to the protein; and dissociating the antibodies from the protein, thereby obtaining purified polyclonal antibodies. The invention also provides a method of using a protein to prepare a monoclonal antibody comprising immunizing an animal with a protein under conditions to elicit an antibody response; isolating antibody-producing cells from the animal; fusing the antibody-producing cells with immortalized cells in culture to form monoclonal antibody producing hybridoma cells; culturing the hybridoma cells; and isolating from culture monoclonal antibody that specifically binds the protein.

[0025] The invention provides a method for using a protein to diagnose a cancer comprising performing an assay to quantify the expression of the protein in a sample; and comparing the expression of the protein to standards, thereby diagnosing cancer. In one aspect, the sample is selected from brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate. In a second aspect, expression is diagnostic of brain disorders or cancers. The invention also provides a method for testing a molecule or compound for effectiveness as an agonist comprising exposing a sample comprising the protein to the molecule or compound, and detecting agonist activity in the sample. The invention also provides a method for testing a molecule or compound for effectiveness as an antagonist, the method comprising exposing a sample comprising the protein of to a molecule or compound, and detecting antagonist activity in the sample.

[0026] The invention provides an isolated antibody that specifically binds a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2. The invention also provides a polyclonal antibody and a monoclonal antibody. The invention further provides a method for using an antibody to detect expression of a protein in a sample, the method comprising combining an antibody that specifically binds the protein with a sample under conditions which allow the formation of antibody:protein complexes; and detecting complex formation, wherein complex formation indicates expression of the protein in the sample. In one aspect, the sample is from brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate. In a second aspect, complex formation is compared with standards and is diagnostic of brain disorders and cancer. The invention further provides a method for using an antibody to immunopurify a protein comprising attaching an antibody that specifically binds the protein to a substrate, exposing the antibody to a sample containing protein under conditions to allow antibody:protein complexes to form, dissociating the protein from the complex, and collecting the purified protein.

[0027] The invention provides a composition comprising an antibody that specifically binds the protein and a labeling moiety or a pharmaceutical agent. In one aspect, the composition is lyophilized. The invention also provides a kit comprising the antibody, an array element comprising the antibody, and a substrate upon which the antibody is immobilized.

[0028] The invention provides a method for using a composition to assess efficacy of a molecule or compound, the method comprising treating a sample containing the protein with a molecule or compound; contacting the sample with the composition under conditions for complex formation; determining the amount of complex formation; and comparing the amount of complex formation in the treated sample with the amount of complex formation in standards, wherein a difference in complex formation indicates efficacy of the molecule or compound. The invention provides a method for using a composition to assess toxicity of a molecule or compound, the method comprising treating a sample containing the protein with a molecule or compound; contacting the sample with the composition under conditions for complex formation; determining the amount of complex formation; and comparing the amount of complex formation in the treated sample with the amount of complex formation in standards, wherein a difference in complex formation indicates toxicity of the molecule or compound.

[0029] The invention provides a method for treating a cancer comprising administering to a subject in need of therapeutic intervention an antibody that specifically binds the protein. In one aspect, the antibody is a monoclonal antibody. The invention also provides a method for treating cancer comprising administering to a subject in need of therapeutic intervention an antibody that specifically binds the protein or a monoclonal antibody. The invention further provides a method for delivering a therapeutic agent to a cell comprising attaching the therapeutic agent to a bispecific molecule identified; and administering the bispecific molecule to a subject in need of therapeutic intervention, wherein the bispecific molecule specifically binds the protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 thereby delivering the therapeutic agent to the cell.

[0030] The invention provides an agonist that specifically binds the protein and a composition comprising an agonist and a pharmaceutical carrier. The invention also provides an antagonist that specifically binds the protein and a composition comprising the antagonist and a pharmaceutical carrier. The invention further provides a pharmaceutical agent that specifically binds the protein and a composition comprising the pharmaceutical agent and a pharmaceutical carrier. The invention still further provides a small drug molecule that specifically binds the protein and a composition comprising the small drug molecule and a pharmaceutical carrier.

[0031] The invention provides an antisense molecule of 18 to 30 nucleotides in length that specifically binds a portion of a polynucleotide encoding the human NIM1 kinase or the complement thereof wherein the antisense molecule inhibits expression of the protein encoded by the polynucleotide. In one aspect, the antisense molecule comprises at least one modified internucleoside linkage wherein the internucleoside linkage is a phosphorothioate linkage. In a second aspect, the antisense molecule comprises at least one nucleotide analog wherein the modified nucleotide analog is a 5-methylcytosine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES AND TABLE

[0032]FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, and 1F show the nucleic acid molecule (SEQ ID NO: 1) encoding the human NIM1 kinase (SEQ ID NO:2). The alignment was produced using MACDNASIS PRO software (Hitachi Software Engineering, South San Francisco Calif.).

[0033]FIG. 2 shows electronic northern analysis of the highly specific expression of human NIM1 kinase in brain tissue (74%) and cancers of the breast (connective tissue) and prostate (genitalia, male). The electronic northern was produced using the LIFESEQ Gold database (Incyte Genomics, Palo Alto Calif.).

[0034]FIG. 3 shows a graph of transcript expression produced using quantitative PCR in various cell lines and tissues. The x axis shows fold expression; and the y axis, the cell lines (H460, A2780, A375, HDF, HELA, DU145, MDA-MB231, U87-MG and BX-PC3) and tissues (brain, colon, uterus and placenta).

[0035]FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C demonstrate the conserved chemical and structural similarities among the catalytic domains of human NIM1 kinase (3317608CD1; SEQ ID NO:2), Caenorhabditis elegans STK (g3877329; SEQ ID NO:31), Rattus norvegicus STK (g2052189; SEQ ID NO:32), human C-TAK1 (g3089349; SEQ ID NO:33), Rattus norvegicus salt-inducible kinase (g5672676; SEQ ID NO:34), Drosophila melanogaster K78 protein kinase (g2564680; SEQ ID NO:35), and human EMK1 (g1749794; SEQ ID NO:36). The alignment was produced using the MEGALIGN program of LASERGENE software (DNASTAR, Madison Wis.).

[0036]FIG. 5 shows the human NIM1 (hNIM1) kinase assay. The enzyme, hNIM1-GST; substrates: myelin basic protein (MBP) and histone (HIST.1); and the positive control, ZAP70 (70 kd zeta-chain (TCR) associated protein kinase). The designations + and − indicate the presence or absence of the human NIM kinase and substrates in the lane. Size markers in kilodaltons are shown along the right side of the gel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] It is understood that this invention is not limited to the particular machines, materials and methods described. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention which will be limited only by the appended claims. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, a reference to “a host cell” includes a plurality of such host cells known to those skilled in the art.

[0038] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. All publications mentioned herein are cited for the purpose of describing and disclosing the cell lines, protocols, reagents and vectors which are reported in the publications and which might be used in connection with the invention. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the invention is not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.

[0039] Definitions “Antibody” refers to intact immunoglobulin molecule, a polyclonal antibody, a monoclonal antibody, a chimeric antibody, a recombinant antibody, a humanized antibody, single chain antibodies, a Fab fragment, an F(ab′)₂ fragment, an Fv fragment, and an antibody-peptide fusion protein.

[0040] “Antigenic determinant” refers to an antigenic or immunogenic epitope, structural feature, or region of an oligopeptide, peptide, or protein which is capable of inducing formation of an antibody that specifically binds the protein. Biological activity is not a prerequisite for immunogenicity.

[0041] “Array” refers to an ordered arrangement of at least two nucleic acid molecules, proteins, or antibodies on a substrate. At least one of the nucleic acid molecules, proteins, or antibodies represents a control or standard, and the other nucleic acid molecule, protein, or antibody is of diagnostic or therapeutic interest. The arrangement of at least two and up to about 40,000 nucleic acid molecules, proteins, or antibodies on the substrate assures that the size and signal intensity of each labeled complex, formed between each nucleic acid molecule and at least one nucleic acid, each protein and at least one ligand or antibody, or each antibody and at least one protein to which the antibody specifically binds, is individually distinguishable.

[0042] “Biologically active” refers to a protein having structural, immunological, regulatory, or chemical functions of a naturally occurring, recombinant or synthetic molecule.

[0043] A “bispecific molecule” has two different binding specificities and can be bound to two different molecules or two different sites on a molecule concurrently. Similarly, a “multispecific molecule” can bind to multiple (more than two) distinct targets, one of which may be a molecule on the surface of an immune cell. Antibodies can perform as or be a part of bispecific or multispecific molecules.

[0044] “Complementary” refer to the natural hydrogen bonding by base pairing between purines and pyrimidines. For example, the sequence A-C-G-T forms hydrogen bonds with its complements T-G-C-A or U-G-C-A. Two single-stranded molecules may be considered partially complementary, if only some of the nucleotides bond, or completely complementary, if nearly all of the nucleotides bond. The degree of complementarity between nucleic acid strands affects the efficiency and strength of the hybridization and amplification reactions.

[0045] A “composition” refers to the nucleic acid molecule and a labeling moiety; a purified protein and a pharmaceutical carrier or a heterologous, labeling or purification moiety; an antibody and a labeling moiety or pharmaceutical agent; and the like.

[0046] “Derivative” refers to a nucleic acid molecule or a protein that has been subjected to a chemical modification. Derivatization of a nucleic acid molecule can involve substitution of a nontraditional base such as queosine or of an analog such as hypoxanthine. These substitutions are well known in the art. Derivatization of a nucleic acid molecule or a protein can also involve the replacement of a hydrogen by an acetyl, acyl, alkyl, amino, formyl, or morpholino group (for example, 5-methylcytosine). Derivative molecules retain the biological activities of the naturally occurring molecules but may confer longer lifespan or enhanced activity.

[0047] “Differential expression” refers to an increased or upregulated or a decreased or downregulated expression as detected by absence, presence, or at least two-fold change in the amount of transcribed messenger RNA or translated protein in a sample.

[0048] “Disorder” refers to conditions, diseases or syndromes in which human NIM1 kinase or the mRNA encoding hNIM1 are differentially expressed. These include disorders of the brain and cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate.

[0049] An “expression profile” is a representation of gene expression in a sample. A nucleic acid expression profile is produced using sequencing, hybridization, or amplification technologies, transcript imaging as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,484, incorporated herein by reference, and guilt-by-association as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,574, and mRNAs or cDNAs from a sample. A protein expression profile, although time delayed, mirrors the nucleic acid expression profile and uses two-dimensional polyacrylamide electrophoresis (2D-PAGE), mass spectrophotometry (MS), western analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), radioimmunoassays (RIAs), scintillation counters, and arrays and antibodies or labeling moieties to detect protein expression in a sample. The nucleic acids, proteins, or antibodies may be used in solution or attached to a substrate, and their detection is based on methods and labeling moieties well known in the art.

[0050] “Fragment” refers to an Incyte clone or any part of a nucleic acid molecule which retains a usable, functional characteristic. Useful fragments are generally at least 18 consecutive nucleotides in length and include oligonucleotides which may be used in hybridization, amplification or screening technologies or in regulation of replication, transcription or translation.

[0051] “Hybridization complex” refers to a complex between two nucleic acid molecules by virtue of the formation of hydrogen bonds between purines and pyrimidines.

[0052] “Identity” as applied to sequences, refers to the quantification (usually percentage) of nucleotide or residue matches between at least two sequences aligned using a standardized algorithm such as Smith-Waterman alignment (Smith and Waterman (1981) J Mol Biol 147:195-197), CLUSTALW (Thompson et al. (1994) Nucleic Acids Res 22:4673-4680), or BLAST2 (Altschul et al. (1997) Nucleic Acids Res 25:3389-3402). BLAST2 may be used in a standardized and reproducible way to insert gaps in one of the sequences in order to optimize alignment and to achieve a more meaningful comparison between them. “Similarity” uses the same algorithms but takes conservative substitution of residues into account. In proteins, similarity exceeds identity in that substitution of a valine for a leucine or isoleucine, is counted in calculating the reported percentage. Substitutions which are considered to be conservative are well known in the art.

[0053] “Isolated” or “purified” refers to any molecule or compound that is separated from its natural environment and is from about 60% free to about 90% free from other components with which it is naturally associated.

[0054] “Labeling moiety” refers to any reporter molecule including radionuclides, enzymes, fluorescent, chemiluminescent, or chromogenic agents, substrates, cofactors, inhibitors, or magnetic particles than can be attached to or incorporated into a polynucleotide, protein, or antibody. Visible labels and dyes include but are not limited to anthocyanins, β glucuronidase, biotin, BIODIPY, Coomassie blue, Cy3 and Cy5, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), digoxigenin, fluorescein, FITC, gold, green fluorescent protein (GFP), lissamine, luciferase, phycoerythrin, rhodamine, spyro red, silver, streptavidin, and the like. Radioactive markers include radioactive forms of hydrogen, iodine, phosphorous, sulfur, and the like.

[0055] “Ligand” refers to any molecule, agent, or compound which will bind specifically to a complementary site on a nucleic acid molecule or protein. Such ligands stabilize or modulate the activity of nucleic acid molecules or proteins of the invention and may be composed of at least one of the following: inorganic and organic substances including nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and lipids.

[0056] “hNIM1 kinase” refers to a purified enzyme obtained from any mammalian species, including bovine, ovine, porcine, rodent, canine, simian, and preferably the human species, and from any source, whether natural, synthetic, semi-synthetic, or recombinant.

[0057] “Nucleic acid molecule” refers to polynucleotide or cDNA, or any fragment or complement thereof. It may be DNA or RNA of genomic or synthetic origin, double-stranded or single-stranded, and combined with carbohydrate, lipids, protein or other materials to perform a particular activity such as transformation or form a useful composition such as a peptide nucleic acid (PNA). It may contain untranslated 5′ or 3′ regulatory regions and, rarely, an intron.

[0058] “Oligonucleotide” is equivalent to the terms amplimer, primer, or oligomer, is usually single stranded, extends about 18 to 60 nucleotides in length, and may be used in hybridization or amplification technologies or in regulation of replication, transcription, or translation.

[0059] “Oligopeptide” refers to a portion of a protein from about 5 to about 15 residues in length that is useful for making antibodies or chimeric molecules.

[0060] A “pharmaceutical agent” may be an antibody, an antisense molecule, a bispecific molecule, a multispecific molecule, a peptide, a protein, a radionuclide, a small drug molecule, a cytospecific or cytotoxic drug such as abrin, actinomyosin D, cisplatin, crotin, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, ricin, vincristine, vinblastine, or any combination of these elements.

[0061] The phrase “nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein” refers to a nucleic acid molecule whose sequence closely aligns with sequences that encode conserved regions, motifs or domains identified by employing analyses well known in the art. These analyses include BLAST (Altschul (1993) J Mol Evol 36:290-300; Altschul et al. (1990) J Mol Biol 215:403-410) and BLAST2 (Altschul, supra) which provide identity within the conserved region. Brenner et al. (1998; Proc Natl Acad Sci 95:6073-6078) who analyzed BLAST for its ability to identify structural homologs by sequence identity found 30% identity is a reliable threshold for sequence alignments of at least 150 residues and 40% is a reasonable threshold for alignments of at least 70 residues (Brenner, page 6076, column 2).

[0062] “Protein” refers to an amino acid sequence, oligopeptide, peptide, polypeptide or portions thereof whether naturally occurring or synthetic.

[0063] “Portion” refers to any part of a protein used for any purpose, but especially for the screening of a library of molecules or compounds to identify a ligand.

[0064] “Sample” is used in its broadest sense as containing nucleic acids, proteins, and antibodies. A sample may comprise a bodily fluid such as ascites, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, lymph, semen, sputum, urine and the like; the soluble fraction of a cell preparation, or an aliquot of media in which cells were grown; a chromosome, an organelle, or membrane isolated or extracted from a cell; genomic DNA, RNA, or nucleic acid molecule in solution or bound to a substrate; a cell; a tissue, a tissue biopsy, or a tissue print; buccal cells, skin, hair, a hair follicle; and the like.

[0065] “Specific binding” or “specifically binding” refers to the interaction between two molecules. In the case of a polynucleotide, specific binding may involve hydrogen bonding between sense and antisense strands or between one strand and a protein which affects its replication or transcription, intercalation of a molecule or compound into the major or minor groove of the DNA molecule, or interaction with at least one molecule which functions as a transcription factor, enhancer, repressor, and the like. In the case of a protein, specific binding may involve interactions with polynucleotides, as described above or with molecules or compounds such as agonists, antibodies, antagonists, and the like. Specific binding is dependent upon the presence of structural features that allow appropriate chemical or molecular interactions between molecules.

[0066] “Substrate” refers to any rigid or semi-rigid support to which polynucleotides, proteins, or antibodies are bound and includes magnetic or nonmagnetic beads, capillaries or other tubing, chips, fibers, filters, gels, membranes, plates, polymers, slides, wafers, and microparticles with a variety of surface forms including channels, columns, pins, pores, trenches, and wells.

[0067] The Invention

[0068] The invention is based on the discovery of a nucleic acid molecule which encodes human NIM1 kinase and on the use of the nucleic acid molecule, protein, and an antibody that specifically binds the protein as compositions in the characterization, diagnosis, and treatment of brain disorders and cancers.

[0069] The nucleic acid molecule encoding NIM1 kinase of the present invention was first identified as a kinase by Block II homology match between Incyte Clone 670279 from the cerebellum library (CRBLNOT01) and a putative STK of C. elegans (g733122) important for the polarity of zygote division and differentiation. The full length nucleic acid molecule, Incyte Clone 3317608 (SEQ ID NO:1) was sequenced and assembled from the Incyte LIFESEQ GOLD database (Mar 99 release) template 200700.1, the assembly 670279CB1 and Incyte Clones (Library): 3317608H1 (PROSBPT03), 4313713H1 (BRAFNOT01), 4617082H1 (BRAYDIT01), 4711644H1 (BRAIHCT01), 2286324H1 (BRAINON01), 2286816H1 (BRAINON01), 2287217H1 (BRAINON01), 2286816R6 (BRAINON01), 2286816T6 (BRAINON01), 3317608T6 (PROSBPT03), 4201896T6 (BRAITUT29), 462481 1T6 (FIBRTXT02), 6559834H1 (BRAFNON02), 670279F1 (CRBLNOT01), 670279H1 (CRBLNOT01), 670279R1 (CRBLNOT01), 670279R6 (CRBLNOT01), 670279T6 (CRBLNOT01), and 4936446H1 (BRAXNOT03) and which are SEQ ID NOs:3-23, respectively. Useful fragments of the nucleic acid molecule that encodes SEQ ID NO:2 include a fragment of at least 18 consecutive nucleotides selected from about nucleotide 414 to about nucleotide 1414 of SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NOs:3-23 or the complements thereof. The Incyte clone 3317608CA has been designated a verified reagent, and Incyte clones 2286816 and 4201896, component sequences of SEQ ID NO:1 as listed above, were used as array elements.

[0070] FIGS. 1A-1F show the sequence of the nucleic acid molecule and its deduced translation into amino acids. Incyte Clone number 3317608 which contains the coding region for the human NIM1 kinase has been deposited in the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC; Manassas Va.) and has the Patent Deposit Designation: PT-1217.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 2, electronic northern analysis showed highly differential expression of the transcript encoding NIM1 kinase in the nervous system. All of these libraries were from brain; five were associated with cancer, three, with stroke, two, with Huntington's disease and one, with epilepsy. The transcript was found to be expressed only two other times in the LIFESEQ database (Incyte Genomics) which contains 1039 libraries and over 5 million sequences, in cancerous breast fibroblasts, FIBRTXT02, and in cancerous prostate, PROSBPT03.

[0072] As presented in FIG. 3, northern analysis was also performed in the laboratory using quantitative PCR. Expression of human NIM1 kinase transcripts is shown in H460, A2780, A375, HDF, HELA, DU145, MDA-MB231, U87-MG, and BX-PC3 cell lines and in brain, colon, uterus and placenta tissues. Of particular note, human breast carcinoma cell line, MDA-MB231, and brain tissue show approximately 100 and 155 fold expression of hNIM1 transcripts, respectively. Greater than 5-fold expression was also seen in cell lines representing carcinomas of the brain, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate and in normal uterus and placenta.

[0073] NIM1 kinase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 is 436 amino acids in length and has a potential signal sequence from M1 to A18, potential phosphorylation sites at residues S56, T108, Ti14,S123,S169,S221,S282, Y288, T311, T332, T349, S359,S420, and T429. The human NIM1 kinase, as shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, is used as the reference for numbering the conserved residues, motifs, and subdomains of catalytic region of the kinases (SEQ ID NOs:2 and 31-36) in the alignment. The residues, motifs and subdomains are: subdomain 1 extends from G81 to V88; subdomain 2, has conserved residues A101 and K103; subdomain 3 has the invariant E121; subdomain extends from E151 to E 157 and shares the invariant residues M150 and Y152; subdomain 6B which represents the catalytic loop, extends from H194 to N201; subdomain 7, has the highly conserved triplet, D214, F215, and G216; subdomain 8, extends from T229 to F242 and contains the A238, P239, E240 motif; subdomain 9 has the invariant D253, subdomain 11 has the invariant R244 which interacts with the APE motif of subdomain 8. The C terminal boundary of the catalytic domain begins with H248, A249 and F250. Both PFAM and PRINTS analyses confirm these kinase motifs and domains. Useful portions of the polypeptide having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 include a portion of at least 6 consecutive amino acids selected from about residue 1 to about residue 295 of SEQ ID NO:2.

[0074]FIG. 5 shows the human NIM1 kinase assay. hNIM1 kinase-GST autophosphorylated as shown in lanes 1, 2, and 4 and phosphorylated its substrates MBP, lane 2, and HIST. 1, lane 4. In the absence of kinase, substrates MBP, lane 3, and HIST. 1, lane 5, show no phosphorylation. Lane 6 shows the positive control ZAP70.

[0075] The results of a lung cancer study using the HumanGenome GEM1 (HG1) microarray are shown in the table below. The first column shows the log2(Cy3/Cy5); the second column, the description of the Cy3 sample, normal tissue sample identified by donor number; and the third column, the description of the Cy5 sample, cancer tissue sample identified by donor number. Five of the cancer samples are matched with cytologically normal tissue from the same donor. Donor tissues are described in Example VII. log2Cy3/Cy5 Description of Cy3 sample Description of Cy5 sample 1.04 Nrml, Dn7965 Adenocarcinoma, Dn7965 1.06 Nrml, Dn5795 Adenocarcinoma, Dn5795 1.06 Nrml, Dn7966 Adenocarcinoma, Dn7966 1.11 Nrml, Pool, Dn9007 Adenocarcinoma, Dn7976 1.14 Nrml, Dn7968 Squamous carcinoma, Dn7968 1.23 Nrml, Dn7188 Adenocarcinoma, Dn7188 1.39 Nrml, Pool, Dn9007 Adenocarcinoma, Dn7975

[0076] Differential expression of hNIM1 in non-small cell lung cancers was considered to be significant if it exceeded two-fold or log₂≧1.0. Expression was not seen in small cell lung cancer or lung carcinoids.

[0077] Mammalian variants of the nucleic acid molecules encoding the human NIM1 kinase were identified by using BLAST or BLAST2 (with default parameters), to identify clones in the LIFESEQ or ZOOSEQ databases (Incyte Genomics) which aligned with SEQ ID NOs:1 and 3-23. The mammalian variants are ZOOSEQ database template (Dec 99 build) 216150.1 (SEQ ID NO:24) and Incyte clones: 701925441 HI (RALITXS03), 701910632H 1 (RABYUNN02), 701905514H1 (RABYUNS09), 701293826H1 (RABXNOT04), and 700949543H1 (RASPNON02) from rat and 700706950H1 (MNBFNOT01) from monkey; SEQ ID NOs:25-30, respectively.

[0078] The nucleic acid molecules and fragments thereof (SEQ ID NOs:1 and 3-30) may be used in hybridization, amplification, and screening technologies to identify and distinguish among SEQ ID NO:1 and similar molecules in a sample. The human molecules and their mammalian variants may be used to produce transgenic organisms which model the human disorders and upon which potential therapeutic treatments may be tested. Toxicology studies, clinical trials, and subject/patient treatment profiles may be performed and monitored using the nucleic acid molecules, proteins, antibodies and molecules and compounds identified using the nucleic acid molecules and proteins of the present invention.

[0079] Characterization and Use of the Invention

[0080] cDNA libraries

[0081] In a particular embodiment disclosed herein, mRNA was isolated from mammalian cells and tissues using methods which are well known to those skilled in the art and used to prepare the cDNA libraries. The Incyte clones listed above were isolated from mammalian cDNA libraries. Three library preparations representative of the invention are described in the EXAMPLES below. The consensus sequences were chemically and/or electronically assembled from fragments including Incyte clones and extension and/or shotgun sequences using computer programs such as PHRAP (P Green, University of Washington, Seattle Wash.), GELVIEW Fragment Assembly system (Accelrys), and AUTOASSEMBLER application (Applied Biosystems (ABI), Foster City Calif.). Clones, extension and/or shotgun sequences are electronically assembled into clusters and/or master clusters.

[0082] Sequencing

[0083] Methods for sequencing nucleic acids are well known in the art and may be used to practice any of the embodiments of the invention. These methods employ enzymes such as the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I, SEQUENASE, Taq DNA polymerase and thermostable T7 DNA polymerase (Amersham Biosciences (APB), Piscataway N.J.), or combinations of polymerases and proofreading exonucleases (Invitrogen, Carlsbad Calif.). Preferably, sequence preparation is automated with machines such as the DNA ENGINE thermal cycler (PTC200; MJ Research, Watertown Mass.). Machines used for sequencing include the PRISM 3700, 377 or 373 DNA sequencing systems (ABI), the MEGABACE 1000 DNA sequencing system (APB), and the like.

[0084] The sequences of the nucleic acid molecules presented in the Sequence Listing were prepared by such automated methods and may contain occasional sequencing errors and unidentified nucleotides, designated with an N, that reflect state-of-the-art technology at the time the cDNA was sequenced. In most sequences, vector, linker, and polyA sequences have been masked using algorithms and programs based on BLAST, dynamic programming, and dinucleotide nearest neighbor analysis. Ns and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can be verified either by resequencing the cDNA or using algorithms to compare multiple sequences that overlap the area in which the Ns or SNPs occur. Both of these techniques are well known to and used by those skilled in the art. A variety of algorithms useful in comparing sequences are described in Ausubel et al. (1997; Short Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, New York N.Y., unit 7.7) and in Meyers (1995; Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Wiley VCH, New York N.Y., pp. 856-853).

[0085] Shotgun sequencing may also be used to complete the sequence of a particular cloned insert of interest. Shotgun strategy involves randomly breaking the original insert into segments of various sizes and cloning these fragments into vectors. The fragments are sequenced and reassembled using overlapping ends until the entire sequence of the original insert is known. Shotgun sequencing methods are well known in the art and use thermostable DNA polymerases, heat-labile DNA polymerases, and primers chosen from representative regions flanking the nucleic acid molecules of interest. Incomplete assembled sequences are inspected for identity using various algorithms or programs such as CONSED (Gordon (1998) Genome Res 8:195-202) which are well known in the art. Contaminating sequences including vector or chimeric sequences or deleted sequences can be removed or restored, respectively, organizing the incomplete assembled sequences into finished sequences.

[0086] Extension of a Nucleic Acid Sequence

[0087] The sequences of the invention may be extended using various PCR-based methods known in the art. For example, the XL-PCR kit (ABI), nested primers, and commercially available cDNA or genomic DNA libraries may be used to extend the nucleic acid sequence. For all PCR-based methods, primers may be designed using commercially available software, such as OLIGO primer analysis software (Molecular Biology Insights, Cascade CO) to be about 22 to 30 nucleotides in length, to have a GC content of about 50% or more, and to anneal to a target molecule at temperatures from about 55C to about 68C. When extending a sequence to recover regulatory elements, it is preferable to use genomic, rather than cDNA libraries.

[0088] Hybridization

[0089] The nucleic acid molecule and fragments thereof can be used in hybridization technologies for various purposes. A probe may be designed or derived from unique regions such as the 5′ regulatory region or from a nonconserved region (i.e., 5′ or 3′ of the nucleotides encoding the conserved catalytic domain of the protein) and used in protocols to identify naturally occurring molecules encoding the human NIM1 kinase, allelic variants, or related molecules. The probe may be DNA or RNA, may be single stranded and should have at least 50% sequence identity to any of the nucleic acid sequences, SEQ ID NOs:3-30. Hybridization probes may be produced using oligolabeling, nick translation, end-labeling, or PCR amplification in the presence of a reporter molecule. A vector containing the nucleic acid molecule or a fragment thereof may be used to produce an mRNA probe in vitro by addition of an RNA polymerase and labeled nucleotides. These procedures may be conducted using commercially available kits (APB).

[0090] The stringency of hybridization is determined by G+C content of the probe, salt concentration, and temperature. In particular, stringency can be increased by reducing the concentration of salt or raising the hybridization temperature. In solutions used for some membrane based hybridizations, addition of an organic solvent such as formamide allows the reaction to occur at a lower temperature. Hybridization can be performed at low stringency with buffers, such as 5×SSC with 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at 60C, which permits the formation of a hybridization complex between nucleic acid sequences that contain some mismatches. Subsequent washes are performed at higher stringency with buffers such as 0.2×SSC with 0. 1% SDS at either 45C (medium stringency) or 68C (high stringency). At high stringency, hybridization complexes will remain stable only where the nucleic acid molecules are completely complementary. In some membrane-based hybridizations, preferably 35% or most preferably 50%, formamide can be added to the hybridization solution to reduce the temperature at which hybridization is performed, and background signals can be reduced by the use of other detergents such as Sarkosyl or TRITON X-100 (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis Mo.) and a blocking agent such as denatured salmon sperm DNA. Selection of components and conditions for hybridization are well known to those skilled in the art and are reviewed in Ausubel (supra) and Sambrook et al. (1989; Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Plainview N.Y.).

[0091] Arrays may be prepared and analyzed using methods known in the art. cDNAs or oligonucleotides may be used as either probes or elements on an array. The array can be used to monitor the expression level of large numbers of genes simultaneously and to identify genetic variants, mutations, and single nucleotide polymorphisms. Arrays may be used to determine gene function; to understand the genetic basis of a disorder; to diagnose a disorder; and to develop and monitor the activities of therapeutic agents. (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,796; Schena et al. (1996) Proc Natl Acad Sci 93:10614-10619; Heller et al. (1997) Proc Natl Acad Sci 94:2150-2155; U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,662.)

[0092] Hybridization probes are also useful in mapping the naturally occurring genomic sequence. The probes may be hybridized to a particular chromosome, a specific region of a chromosome, or an artificial chromosome construction. Such constructions include human artificial chromosomes , yeast artificial chromosomes, bacterial artificial chromosomes, bacterial P1 constructions, or the cDNAs of libraries made from single chromosomes.

[0093] QPCR

[0094] QPCR is a method for quantifying a nucleic acid molecule based on detection of a fluorescent signal produced during PCR amplification (Gibson et al. (1996) Genome Res 6:995-1001; Heid et al. (1996) Genome Res 6:986-994). Amplification is carried out using machines such as the PRISM 7700 detection system (ABI) which consists of a 96-well thermal cycler connected to a laser and charge-coupled device (CCD) optics system. To perform QPCR, a PCR reaction is carried out in the presence of a doubly labeled probe. The probe, which is designed to anneal between the standard forward and reverse PCR primers, is labeled at the 5′ end by a flourogenic reporter dye such as 6-carboxyfluorescein (6-FAM) and at the 3′ end by a quencher molecule such as 6-carboxy-tetramethyl-rhodamine (TAMRA). As long as the probe is intact, the 3′ quencher extinguishes fluorescence by the 5′ reporter. However, during each primer extension cycle, the annealed probe is degraded as a result of the intrinsic 5′ to 3′ nuclease activity of Taq polymerase (Holland et al. (1991) Proc Natl Acad Sci 88:7276-7280). This degradation separates the reporter from the quencher, and fluorescence is detected every few seconds by the CCD. The higher the starting copy number of the nucleic acid, the sooner an increase in fluorescence is observed. A cycle threshold (C_(T)) value, representing the cycle number at which the PCR product crosses a fixed threshold of detection is determined by the instrument software. The C_(T) is inversely proportional to the copy number of the template and can therefore be used to calculate either the relative or absolute initial concentration of the nucleic acid molecule in the sample. The relative concentration of two different molecules can be calculated by determining their respective C_(T) values (comparative C_(T) method). Alternatively, the absolute concentration of the nucleic acid molecule can be calculated by constructing a standard curve using a housekeeping molecule of known concentration. The process of calculating C_(T) values, preparing a standard curve, and determining starting copy number is performed using SEQUENCE DETECTOR 1.7 software (ABI).

[0095] Expression

[0096] A multitude of nucleic acid molecules encoding NIM1 kinase may be cloned into a vector and used to express the protein, or portions thereof, in host cells. The nucleic acid sequence can be engineered by such methods as DNA shuffling (U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,721) and site-directed mutagenesis to create new restriction sites, alter glycosylation patterns, change codon preference to increase expression in a particular host, produce splice variants, extend half-life, and the like. The expression vector may contain transcriptional and translational control elements (promoters, enhancers, specific initiation signals, and polyadenylated 3′ sequence) from various sources which have been selected for their efficiency in a particular host. The vector, nucleic acid molecule, and regulatory elements are combined using in vitro recombinant DNA techniques, synthetic techniques, and/or in vivo genetic recombination techniques well known in the art and described in Sambrook (supra, ch. 4, 8, 16 and 17).

[0097] A variety of host systems may be transformed with an expression vector. These include, but are not limited to, bacteria transformed with recombinant bacteriophage, plasmid, or cosmid DNA expression vectors; yeast transformed with yeast expression vectors; insect cell systems transformed with baculovirus expression vectors; plant cell systems transformed with expression vectors containing viral and/or bacterial elements, or animal cell systems (Ausubel supra, unit 16). For example, an adenovirus transcription/translation complex may be utilized in mammalian cells. After sequences are ligated into the E1 or E3 region of the viral genome, the infective virus is used to transform and express the protein in host cells. The Rous sarcoma virus enhancer or SV40 or EBV-based vectors may also be used for high-level protein expression.

[0098] Routine cloning, subcloning, and propagation of nucleic acid sequences can be achieved using the multifunctional pBLUESCRIPT vector (Stratagene, La Jolla Calif.) or pSPORT1 plasmid (Invitrogen). Introduction of a nucleic acid sequence into the multiple cloning site of these vectors disrupts the lacZ gene and allows calorimetric screening for transformed bacteria. In addition, these vectors may be useful for in vitro transcription, dideoxy sequencing, single strand rescue with helper phage, and creation of nested deletions in the cloned sequence.

[0099] For long term production of recombinant proteins, the vector can be stably transformed into cell lines along with a selectable or visible marker gene on the same or on a separate vector. After transformation, cells are allowed to grow for about 1 to 2 days in enriched media and then are transferred to selective media. Selectable markers, antimetabolite, antibiotic, or herbicide resistance genes, confer resistance to the relevant selective agent and allow growth and recovery of cells which successfully express the introduced sequences. Resistant clones identified either by survival on selective media or by the expression of visible markers, such as anthocyanins, GFP, β glucuronidase, luciferase and the like, may be propagated using culture techniques. Visible markers are also used to quantify the amount of protein expressed by the introduced genes. Verification that the host cell contains the desired mammalian nucleic acid molecule is based on DNA-DNA or DNA-RNA hybridizations or PCR amplification techniques.

[0100] The host cell may be chosen for its ability to modify a recombinant protein in a desired fashion. Such modifications include acetylation, carboxylation, glycosylation, phosphorylation, lipidation, acylation and the like. Post-translational processing which cleaves a “prepro” form may also be used to specify protein targeting, folding, and/or activity. Different host cells available from the ATCC which have specific cellular machinery and characteristic mechanisms for post-translational activities may be chosen to ensure the correct modification and processing of the recombinant protein.

[0101] Recovery of Proteins from Cell Culture

[0102] Heterologous moieties engineered into a vector for ease of purification include glutathione S-transferase (GST), calmodulin binding peptide (CBP), 6-His, FLAG, MYC, and the like. GST, CBP, and 6-His are purified using commercially available affinity matrices such as immobilized glutathione, calmodulin, and metal-chelate resins, respectively. FLAG and MYC are purified using commercially available monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. A proteolytic cleavage site may be located between the desired protein sequence and the heterologous moiety for ease of separation following purification. Methods for recombinant protein expression and purification are discussed in Ausubel (supra, unit 16) and are commercially available.

[0103] Protein Identification

[0104] Several techniques have been developed which permit rapid identification of proteins using high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (MS). Beginning with a sample containing proteins, the method is: 1) proteins are separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), 2) selected proteins are excised from the gel and digested with a protease to produce a set of peptides; and 3) the peptides are subjected to mass spectral analysis to derive peptide ion mass and spectral pattern information. The MS information is used to identify the protein by comparing it with information in a protein database (Shevenko et al. (1996) Proc Natl Acad Sci 93:14440-14445).

[0105] Proteins are separated by 2-DE employing isoelectric focusing (IEF) in the first dimension followed by SDS-PAGE in the second dimension. For IEF, an immobilized pH gradient strip is useful to increase reproducibility and resolution of the separation. Alternative techniques may be used to improve resolution of very basic, hydrophobic, or high molecular weight proteins. The separated proteins are detected using a stain or dye such as silver stain, Coomassie blue, or spyro red (Molecular Probes, Eugene Oreg.) that is compatible with MS. Gels may be blotted onto a PVDF membrane for western analysis and optically scanned using a STORM scanner (APB) to produce a computer-readable output which is analyzed by pattern recognition software such as MELANIE (GeneBio, Geneva, Switzerland). The software annotates individual spots by assigning a unique identifier and calculating their respective x, y coordinates, molecular masses, isoelectric points, and signal intensity. Individual spots of interest, such as those representing differentially expressed proteins, are excised and proteolytically digested with a site-specific protease such as trypsin or chymotrypsin, singly or in combination, to generate a set of small peptides, preferably in the range of 1-2 kDa. Prior to digestion, samples may be treated with reducing and alkylating agents, and following digestion, the peptides are then separated by liquid chromatography or capillary electrophoresis and analyzed using MS.

[0106] MS converts components of a sample into gaseous ions, separates the ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio, and determines relative abundance. For peptide mass fingerprinting analysis, a MALDI-TOF (Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight), ESI (Electrospray Ionization), and TOF-TOF (Time of Flight/Time of Flight) machines are used to determine a set of highly accurate peptide masses. Using analytical programs, such as TURBOSEQUEST software (Finnigan, San Jose Calif.), the MS data is compared against a database of theoretical MS data derived from known or predicted proteins. A minimum match of three peptide masses is used for reliable protein identification. If additional information is needed for identification, Tandem-MS may be used to derive information about individual peptides. In tandem-MS, a first stage of MS is performed to determine individual peptide masses. Then selected peptide ions are subjected to fragmentation using a technique such as collision induced dissociation (CID) to produce an ion series. The resulting fragmentation ions are analyzed in a second round of MS, and their spectral pattern may be used to determine a short stretch of amino acid sequence (Dancik et al. (1999) J Comput Biol 6:327-342). Assuming the protein is represented in the database, a combination of peptide mass and fragmentation data, together with the calculated MW and pI of the protein, will usually yield an unambiguous identification. If no match is found, protein sequence can be obtained using direct chemical sequencing procedures well known in the art (cf. Creighton (1984) Proteins, Structures and Molecular Properties, WH Freeman, New York N.Y.).

[0107] Chemical Synthesis of Peptides

[0108] Proteins or portions thereof may be produced not only by recombinant methods, but also by using chemical methods well known in the art. Solid phase peptide synthesis may be carried out in a batchwise or continuous flow process which sequentially adds α-amino- and side chain-protected amino acid residues to an insoluble polymeric support via a linker group. A linker group such as methylamine-derivatized polyethylene glycol is attached to poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) to form the support resin. The amino acid residues are N-α-protected by acid labile Boc (t-butyloxycarbonyl) or base-labile Fmoc (9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl). The carboxyl group of the protected amino acid is coupled to the amine of the linker group to anchor the residue to the solid phase support resin. Trifluoroacetic acid or piperidine are used to remove the protecting group in the case of Boc or Fmoc, respectively. Each additional amino acid is added to the anchored residue using a coupling agent or pre-activated amino acid derivative, and the resin is washed. The full length peptide is synthesized by sequential deprotection, coupling of derivitized amino acids, and washing with dichloromethane and/or N,N-dimethylformamide. The peptide is cleaved between the peptide carboxy terminus and the linker group to yield a peptide acid or amide. (Novabiochem 1997/98 Catalog and Peptide Synthesis Handbook, San Diego Calif. pp. S1-S20). Automated synthesis may also be carried out on machines such as the 431A peptide synthesizer (ABI). A protein or portion thereof may be purified by preparative high performance liquid chromatography and its composition confirmed by amino acid analysis or by sequencing (Creighton (1984) Proteins, Structures and Molecular Properties, WH Freeman, New York N.Y.).

[0109] Antibodies

[0110] Antibodies, or immunoglobulins (Ig), are components of immune response expressed on the surface of or secreted into the circulation by B cells. The prototypical antibody is a tetramer composed of two identical heavy polypeptide chains (H-chains) and two identical light polypeptide chains (L-chains) interlinked by disulfide bonds which binds and neutralizes foreign antigens. Based on their H-chain, antibodies are classified as IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG or IgM. The most common class, IgG, is tetrameric while other classes are variants or multimers of the basic structure.

[0111] Antibodies are described in terms of their two functional domains. Antigen recognition is mediated by the Fab (antigen binding fragment) region of the antibody, while effector functions are mediated by the Fc (crystallizable fragment) region. The binding of antibody to antigen triggers destruction of the antigen by phagocytic white blood cells such as macrophages and neutrophils. These cells express surface Fc receptors that specifically bind to the Fc region of the antibody and allow the phagocytic cells to destroy antibody-bound antigen. Fc receptors are single-pass transmembrane glycoproteins containing about 350 amino acids whose extracellular portion typically contains two or three Ig domains (Sears et al. (1990) J Immunol 144:371-378).

[0112] Preparation and Screening of Antibodies

[0113] Various hosts including mice, rats, rabbits, goats, llamas, camels, and human cell lines may be immunized by injection with an antigenic determinant. Adjuvants such as Freund's, mineral gels, and surface active substances such as lysolecithin, pluronic polyols, polyanions, peptides, oil emulsions, keyhole limpet hemacyanin (KLH; Sigma-Aldrich), and dinitrophenol may be used to increase immunological response. In humans, BCG (bacilli Calmette-Guerin) and Cormebacterium parvum increase response. The antigenic determinant may be an oligopeptide, peptide, or protein. When the amount of antigenic determinant allows immunization to be repeated, specific polyclonal antibody with high affinity can be obtained (Klinman and Press (1975) Transplant Rev 24:41-83). Oligopepetides which may contain between about five and about fifteen amino acids identical to a portion of the endogenous protein may be fused with proteins such as KLH in order to produce antibodies to the chimeric molecule.

[0114] Monoclonal antibodies may be prepared using any technique which provides for the production of antibodies by continuous cell lines in culture. These include the hybridoma technique, the human B-cell hybridoma technique, and the EBV-hybridoma technique (Kohler et al. (1975) Nature 256:495-497; Kozbor et al. (1985) J Immunol Methods 81:31-42; Cote et al. (1983) Proc Natl Acad Sci 80:2026-2030; and Cole et al. (1984) Mol Cell Biol 62:109-120).

[0115] Chimeric antibodies may be produced by techniques such as splicing of mouse antibody genes to human antibody genes to obtain a molecule with appropriate antigen specificity and biological activity (Morrison et al. (1984) Proc Natl Acad Sci 81:6851-6855; Neuberger et al. (1984) Nature 312:604-608; and Takeda et al. (1985) Nature 314:452-454). Alternatively, techniques described for antibody production may be adapted, using methods known in the art, to produce specific, single chain antibodies. Antibodies with related specificity, but of distinct idiotypic composition, may be generated by chain shuffling from random combinatorial immunoglobulin libraries (Burton (1991) Proc Natl Acad Sci 88:10134-10137). Antibody fragments which contain specific binding sites for an antigenic determinant may also be produced. For example, such fragments include, but are not limited to, F(ab′)2 fragments produced by pepsin digestion of the antibody molecule and Fab fragments generated by reducing the disulfide bridges of the F(ab′)2 fragments. Alternatively, Fab expression libraries may be constructed to allow rapid and easy identification of monoclonal Fab fragments with the desired specificity (Huse et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281).

[0116] Antibodies may also be produced by inducing production in the lymphocyte population or by screening immunoglobulin libraries or panels of highly specific binding reagents as disclosed in Orlandi et al. (1989; Proc Natl Acad Sci 86:3833-3837) or Winter et al. (1991; Nature 349:293-299). A protein may be used in screening assays of phagemid or B-lymphocyte immunoglobulin libraries to identify antibodies having a desired specificity. Numerous protocols for competitive binding or immunoassays using either polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies with established specificities are well known in the art.

[0117] Antibody Specificity

[0118] Various methods such as Scatchard analysis combined with radioimmunoassay techniques may be used to assess the affinity of particular antibodies for a protein. Affinity is expressed as an association constant, K_(a), which is defined as the molar concentration of protein-antibody complex divided by the molar concentrations of free antigen and free antibody under equilibrium conditions. The K_(a) determined for a preparation of polyclonal antibodies, which are heterogeneous in their affinities for multiple antigenic determinants, represents the average affinity, or avidity, of the antibodies. The K_(a) determined for a preparation of monoclonal antibodies, which are specific for a particular antigenic determinant, represents a true measure of affinity. High-affinity antibody preparations with K_(a) ranging from about 10⁹ to 10¹² L/mole are commonly used in immunoassays in which the protein-antibody complex must withstand rigorous manipulations. Low-affinity antibody preparations with K_(a) ranging from about 10⁶ to 10⁷ L/mole are preferred for use in immunopurification and similar procedures which ultimately require dissociation of the protein, preferably in active form, from the antibody (Catty (1988) Antibodies, Volume I: A Practical Approach, IRL Press, Washington D.C.; Liddell and Cryer (1991) A Practical Guide to Monoclonal Antibodies, John Wiley & Sons, New York N.Y.).

[0119] The titer and avidity of polyclonal antibody preparations may be further evaluated to determine the quality and suitability of such preparations for certain downstream applications. For example, a polyclonal antibody preparation containing about 5-10 mg specific antibody/ml, is generally employed in procedures requiring precipitation of protein-antibody complexes. Procedures for making antibodies, evaluating antibody specificity, titer, and avidity, and guidelines for antibody quality and usage in various applications, are discussed in Catty (supra) and Ausubel (supra) pp. 11.1-11.31.

[0120] Diagnostics

[0121] Differential expression of hNIM1 is associated with brain disorders such as such as Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cerebral palsy, dementia, Down's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral neoplasms, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and in particular, epilepsy, Huntington's chorea and stroke; and such as adenocarcinoma, leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma, myeloma, sarcoma, teratocarcinoma, and, in particular, cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate. Differential expression can be detected using the protein, the nucleic acid molecule encoding hNIM1, or an antibody that specifically binds hNIM1 and at least one of the assays below.

[0122] Nucleic Acid Assays

[0123] The nucleic acid molecules, fragments, oligonucleotides, complementary RNA and DNA molecules, and PNAs may be used in assays to detect and quantify differential expression. Differential expression has been associated with brains disorders and cancers. The diagnostic assay may use hybridization or amplification technology to compare gene expression in a biological sample from a patient to standard samples in order to detect differential gene expression. Qualitative or quantitative methods for this comparison are well known in the art and described in the EXAMPLES.

[0124] Protein Assays

[0125] Two-dimensional polyacrylamide electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) may be used in combination with Bradford analysis, scintillation counting, mass spectrophotometry (MS) and immunological methods well known in the art to quantitate hNIM1 expression in samples. These assays are described in Ausubel (supra), units 10.1-10.7.

[0126] Immunological methods for detecting and measuring complex formation as a measure of protein expression using either specific polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies are known in the art. Examples of such techniques include western analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), radioimmunoassays (RIAs), fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and protein and antibody arrays. Such immunoassays typically involve the measurement of complex formation between the protein and an antibody that specifically binds the protein. These assays and their comparison with standards are well known in the art (Ausubel, supra, unit 10.1-10.6). A two-site, monoclonal-based immunoassay utilizing antibodies reactive to two non-interfering epitopes is preferred, but a competitive binding assay may be employed (Pound (1998) Immunochemical Protocols, Humana Press, Totowa N.J.).

[0127] Protein assays are useful for diagnosing diseases that show differential protein expression. Normal or standard values for protein expression are established by combining samples taken from a normal mammalian or human subject with antibodies that specifically bind the protein under conditions for complex formation. Standard values for complex formation in normal and diseased tissues are established by various methods, often photometric means. Then complex formation as it is expressed in a subject sample is compared with the standard values. Deviation from the normal standard and toward the diseased standard provides parameters for disease diagnosis or prognosis while deviation away from the diseased and toward the normal standard may be used to evaluate treatment efficacy.

[0128] Recently, antibody arrays have allowed the development of techniques for high-throughput screening of recombinant antibodies. Such methods use robots to pick and grid bacteria containing antibody genes, and a filter-based ELISA to screen and identify clones that express antibody fragments. Because liquid handling is eliminated, and the clones are arrayed from master stocks; the same antibodies can be spotted multiple times and screened against multiple antigens simultaneously. Antibody arrays are highly useful in the identification of differentially expressed proteins and, because of ease in handling and time saved, will become the standard for diagnosis and prognosis (de Wildt et al. (2000) Nature Biotechnol 18:989-94).

[0129] Expression Profiles

[0130] A gene expression profile comprises the expression of a plurality of nucleic acid molecules or proteins as measured using the assays above with a sample. The nucleic acid molecules or antibodies that specifically bind hNIM1 may be used as elements on a array to produce a expression profile. Once the differences in gene expression between healthy and diseased tissues or cells are assessed, the array is used to diagnose, to stage, or to monitor the progression or treatment of a disease.

[0131] For example, a nucleic acid molecule may be labeled by standard methods and added to a biological sample from a patient under conditions for the formation of hybridization complexes. After an incubation period, the sample is washed and the amount of label (or signal) associated with hybridization complexes, is quantified and compared with a standard value.

[0132] By analyzing changes in patterns of gene expression, a disorder can be diagnosed at earlier stages before the patient is symptomatic. The invention can be used to formulate a prognosis and to design a treatment regimen. The invention can also be used to monitor the efficacy of treatment. For treatments with known side effects, the array is employed to improve the treatment regimen. A dosage that results in a more normal genetic expression pattern is indicative of successful treatment. Expression patterns associated with the onset of undesirable side effects are avoided. This approach may be more sensitive and rapid than waiting for the patient to show inadequate improvement, or to manifest side effects, before altering the course of treatment.

[0133] In one embodiment, animal models which mimic a human disease can be used to characterize expression profiles associated with a particular disorder or treatment of that disorder. Novel treatment regimens may be tested in these animal models using arrays to establish and then follow expression over time. In addition, arrays may be used with cell cultures or tissues removed from animal models to rapidly screen large numbers of candidate drug molecules, looking for ones that produce an expression profile similar to those of known therapeutic drugs, with the expectation that molecules with the same expression profile will likely have similar therapeutic effects. Thus, the invention provides the means to rapidly determine the molecular mode of action of a drug.

[0134] Assays may also be used to evaluate the efficacy of a particular therapeutic treatment regimen in animal studies, in clinical trials or in treating an individual patient. Once the presence of a disorder is established and a treatment protocol is initiated, diagnostic assays may be repeated on a regular basis to determine if the level of expression in the patient begins to approximate that which is observed in a normal subject. The results obtained from successive assays may be used to show the efficacy of treatment over a period ranging from several days to years.

[0135] Labeling of Molecules for Assay

[0136] A wide variety of labeling moieties and conjugation techniques are known by those skilled in the art and may be used in various nucleic acid, amino acid, and antibody assays. Synthesis of labeled molecules may be achieved using kits such as those supplied by Promega (Madison Wis.) or APB for incorporation of a labeled nucleotide such as ³²P-dCTP (APB), Cy3-dCTP or Cy5-dCTP (Qiagen-Operon, Alameda Calif.), or an amino acid such as ³⁵S-methionine (APB). Nucleotides and amino acids may be directly labeled with a variety of substances including fluorescent, chemiluminescent, or chromogenic agents, and the like, by chemical conjugation to amines, thiols and other groups present in the molecules using reagents such as BIODIPY or FITC (Molecular Probes).

[0137] Therapeutics

[0138] Chemical and structural similarity, in the context of the kinase catalytic domain, exists between regions of human NIM1 kinase (SEQ ID NO:2) and the kinases of C. elegans STK (g3877329; SEQ ID NO:31), R. norvegicus STK (g2052189; SEQ ID NO:32), human C-TAK1 (g3089349; SEQ ID NO:33), R. norvegicus salt-inducible kinase (g5672676; SEQ ID NO:34), D. melanogaster K78 protein kinase (g2564680; SEQ ID NO:35), and human EMK1 (g1749794; SEQ ID NO:36) shown in FIGS. 4A-4C. In addition, gene expression is highly associated with brain disorders and cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the microarray data. Disorders associated with differential expression of hNIM1 include Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cerebral palsy, dementia, Down's syndrome, epilepsy, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral neoplasms, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, stroke, and cancers such as adenocarcinoma, leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma, myeloma, sarcoma, teratocarcinoma, and, in particular, cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate.

[0139] In one embodiment, when decreased expression or activity of hNIM1 is desired, an antibody, antagonist, inhibitor, a pharmaceutical agent or a composition containing one or more of these molecules may be delivered to a subject in need of such treatment. Such delivery may be effected by methods well known in the art and may include delivery by an antibody that specifically binds the protein. For therapeutic use, monoclonal antibodies are used to block an active site, inhibit dimer formation, trigger apoptosis, and the like.

[0140] In another embodiment, when increased expression or activity of hNIM1 is desired, the protein, an agonist, an enhancer, a pharmaceutical agent or a composition containing one or more of these molecules may be delivered to a subject in need of such treatment. Such delivery may be effected by methods well known in the art and may include delivery of a pharmaceutical agent by an antibody or other bispecific molecule specifically targeted to the protein.

[0141] In an additional embodiment, a vector expressing the nucleic acid molecule, or the complement thereof, may be administered to a subject to modulate expression of hNIM1.

[0142] Any of the nucleic acid molecules, proteins, agonists, antagonists, antibodies, bispecific molecules, vectors, or pharmaceutical agents may be administered in combination with other therapeutics. Selection of agents for use in combination therapy may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art according to conventional pharmaceutical principles. A combination of therapeutic agents may act synergistically to effect treatment of a particular disorder at a lower dosage of each agent.

[0143] Modification of Gene Expression Using Nucleic Acids

[0144] Gene expression may be modified by designing complementary or antisense molecules (DNA, RNA, or PNA) to the control, 5′, 3′, or other regulatory regions of the gene encoding NIM1 kinase. Oligonucleotides designed with reference to the transcription initiation site are preferred. Similarly, inhibition can be achieved using triple helix base-pairing which inhibits the binding of polymerases, transcription factors, or regulatory molecules (Gee et al. In: Huber and Carr (1994) Molecular and Immunologic Approaches, Futura Publishing, Mt. Kisco N.Y., pp. 163-177). A complementary molecule may also be designed to block translation by preventing binding between ribosomes and mRNA. In one alternative, a library of nucleic acid molecules or fragments thereof may be screened to identify those which specifically bind a regulatory, nontranslated sequence.

[0145] Natural ribozymes or synthetic enzymatic RNA molecules may also be used to catalyze the specific cleavage of RNA. The mechanism of ribozyme action involves sequence-specific hybridization of the ribozyme molecule to complementary target RNA followed by endonucleolytic cleavage at sites such as GUA, GUU, and GUC. Once such sites are identified, an oligonucleotide with the same sequence may be evaluated for secondary structural features which would render the oligonucleotide inoperable. The suitability of candidate targets may also be evaluated by testing their hybridization with complementary oligonucleotides using ribonuclease protection assays.

[0146] Sense or antisense nucleic acids may be prepared via recombinant expression, in vitro or in vivo, or using solid phase phosphoramidite chemical synthesis. In addition, RNA molecules may be modified to increase intracellular stability and half-life by addition of flanking sequences at the 5′ and/or 3′ ends of the molecule or by the use of phosphorothioate or 2′ O-methyl rather than phosphodiesterase linkages within the backbone of the molecule. Modification is inherent in the production of PNAs and can be extended to other nucleic acid molecules. Either the inclusion of nontraditional bases such as inosine, queosine, and wybutosine, or the modification of adenine, cytidine, guanine, thymine, and uridine with acetyl-, methyl-, thio-groups renders the molecule less available to endogenous endonucleases.

[0147] Nucleic Acid Therapeutics

[0148] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used in gene therapy. The nucleic acid molecules in expression vectors can be delivered ex vivo to target cells, such as cells of bone marrow. Once stable integration and transcription are confirmed, the bone marrow may be reintroduced into the subject. These techniques are known in the art and have been used to treat breast cancer. Expression of the protein encoded by the nucleic acid molecule may correct a disorder associated with mutation of a normal sequence, reduction or loss of an endogenous target protein, or overepression of an endogenous or mutant protein. Alternatively, nucleic acid molecules may be delivered in vivo using vectors such as retrovirus, adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, herpes simplex virus, and bacterial plasmids. Non-viral methods of gene delivery include cationic liposomes, polylysine conjugates, artificial viral envelopes, and direct injection of DNA (Anderson (1998) Nature 392:25-30; Dachs et al. (1997) Oncol Res 9:313-325; Chu et al. (1998) J Mol Med 76(3-4):184-192; Weiss et al. (1999) Cell Mol Life Sci 55(3):334-358; Agrawal (1996) Antisense Therapeutics, Humana Press, Totowa N.J.; and August et al. (1997) Gene Therapy (Advances in Pharmacology, Vol. 40), Academic Press, San Diego Calif.).

[0149] Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics

[0150] Antibodies, and in particular monoclonal antibodies, that specifically bind a particular protein, enzyme, or receptor and block its expression or activity in the disease process are now being used therapeutically. The first widely accepted therapeutic antibodies were HERCEPTIN (Trastuzumab, Genentech, S. San Francisco Calif.) and GLEEVEC (imatinib mesylate, Norvartis Pharmaceuticals, East Hanover N.J.). HERCEPTIN is a humanized antibody approved for the treatment of HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer. It is designed to bind and block the function of overexpressed HER2 protein. GLEEVEC is indicated for the treatment of patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in blast crisis, accelerated phase, or in chronic phase after failure of interferon-alpha therapy. A second indication for GLEEVEC is treatment of patients with KIT (CD117) positive unresectable and/or metastatic malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Other monoclonal antibodies are in various stages of clinical trials for indications such as prostate cancer, lymphoma, melanoma, pneumococcal infections, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and the like.

[0151] Screening and Purification Assays

[0152] The nucleic acid molecule encoding hNIM1 may be used to screen a library of molecules or compounds for specific binding affinity. The libraries may be aptamers, DNA molecules, PNAs, peptides, proteins such as transcription factors, enhancers, and repressors, RNA molecules, and other ligands which regulate the activity, replication, transcription, or translation of the nucleic acid molecule in the biological system. The assay involves combining the nucleic acid molecule or a fragment thereof with the library of molecules under conditions allowing specific binding, and detecting specific binding to identify at least one molecule which specifically binds the single stranded or double stranded nucleic acid molecule.

[0153] In one embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention may be incubated with a library of isolated and purified molecules or compounds and binding activity determined by methods well known in the art, e.g., a gel-retardation assay (U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,849) or a reticulocyte lysate transcriptional assay. In another embodiment, the polynucleotide may be incubated with nuclear extracts from biopsied and/or cultured cells and tissues. Specific binding between the polynucleotide and a molecule or compound in the nuclear extract is initially determined by gel shift assay and may be later confirmed by raising antibodies against that molecule or compound. When these antibodies are added into the assay, they cause a supershift in the gel-retardation assay.

[0154] In another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecule may be used to purify a molecule or compound using affinity chromatography methods well known in the art. In one embodiment, the polynucleotide is chemically reacted with cyanogen bromide groups on a polymeric resin or gel. Then a sample is passed over and reacts with or binds to the polynucleotide. The molecule or compound which is bound to the polynucleotide may be released from the polynucleotide by increasing the salt concentration of the flow-through medium and collected.

[0155] In a further embodiment, hNIM1 or a portion thereof may be used to purify a ligand from a sample. A method for using a mammalian protein or a portion thereof to purify a ligand would involve combining the protein with a sample under conditions to allow specific binding, detecting specific binding between the protein and ligand, recovering the bound protein, and using an appropriate chaotropic agent to separate the protein thereby releasing purified ligand.

[0156] In a preferred embodiment, hNIM1 kinase may be used to screen libraries of molecules or compounds in any of a variety of screening assays. The portion of the protein employed in such screening may be free in solution, affixed to an abiotic or biotic substrate (e.g. borne on a cell surface), or located intracellularly. For example, in one method, viable or fixed prokaryotic host cells that are stably transformed with recombinant nucleic acids that have expressed and positioned a polypeptide on their cell surface can be used in screening assays. The cells are screened against libraries or a plurality of ligands and the specificity of binding or formation of complexes between the expressed polypeptide and the ligand may be measured. Depending on the kind of library being screened, the assay may be used to identify agonists, antagonists, antibodies, DNA molecules, small drug molecules, immunoglobulins, inhibitors, mimetics, peptides, peptide nucleic acids, proteins, and RNA molecules or any other ligand, which specifically binds the protein.

[0157] In one aspect, this invention comtemplates a method for high throughput screening using very small assay volumes and very small amounts of test compound as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,946, incorporated herein by reference. This method is used to screen large numbers of molecules and compounds via specific binding. In another aspect, this invention also contemplates the use of competitive drug screening assays in which neutralizing antibodies capable of binding the protein specifically compete with a test compound capable of binding to the polypeptide or oligopeptide or portion thereof. Molecules or compounds identified by screening may be used in a mammalian model system to evaluate their toxicity or efficacy.

[0158] Pharmaceutical Compositions

[0159] Pharmaceutical compositions may be formulated and administered, to a subject in need of such treatment, to attain a therapeutic effect. Such compositions contain the instant protein, agonists, antibodies specifically binding the protein, antagonists, inhibitors, or mimetics of the protein. Compositions may be manufactured by conventional means such as mixing, dissolving, granulating, dragee-making, levigating, emulsifying, encapsulating, entrapping, or lyophilizing. The composition may be provided as a salt, formed with acids such as hydrochloric, sulfuric, acetic, lactic, tartaric, malic, and succinic, or as a lyophilized powder which may be combined with a sterile buffer such as saline, dextrose, or water. These compositions may include auxiliaries or excipients which facilitate processing of the active compounds.

[0160] Auxiliaries and excipients may include coatings, fillers or binders including sugars such as lactose, sucrose, mannitol, glycerol, or sorbitol; starches from corn, wheat, rice, or potato; proteins such as albumin, gelatin and collagen; cellulose in the form of hydroxypropylmethyl-cellulose, methyl cellulose, or sodium carboxymethylcellulose; gums including arabic and tragacanth; lubricants such as magnesium stearate or talc; disintegrating or solubilizing agents such as the, agar, alginic acid, sodium alginate or cross-linked polyvinyl pyrrolidone; stabilizers such as carbopol gel, polyethylene glycol, or titanium dioxide; and dyestuffs or pigments added for identify the product or to characterize the quantity of active compound or dosage.

[0161] These compositions may be administered by any number of routes including oral, intravenous, intramuscular, intra-arterial, intramedullary, intrathecal, intraventricular, transdermal, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intranasal, enteral, topical, sublingual, or rectal.

[0162] The route of administration and dosage will determine formulation; for example, oral administration may be accomplished using tablets, pills, dragees, capsules, liquids, gels, syrups, slurries, or suspensions; parenteral administration may be formulated in aqueous, physiologically compatible buffers such as Hanks' solution, Ringer's solution, or physiologically buffered saline. Suspensions for injection may be aqueous, containing viscous additives such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose or dextran to increase the viscosity, or oily, containing lipophilic solvents such as sesame oil or synthetic fatty acid esters such as ethyl oleate or triglycerides, or liposomes. Penetrants well known in the art are used for topical or nasal administration.

[0163] Toxicity and Therapeutic Efficacy

[0164] A therapeutically effective dose refers to the amount of active ingredient which ameliorates symptoms or condition. For any compound, a therapeutically effective dose can be estimated from cell culture assays using normal and neoplastic cells or in animal models. Therapeutic efficacy, toxicity, concentration range, and route of administration may be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures using experimental animals.

[0165] The therapeutic index is the dose ratio between therapeutic and toxic effects—LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population)/ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population)—and large therapeutic indices are preferred. Dosage is within a range of circulating concentrations, includes an ED50 with little or no toxicity, and varies depending upon the composition, method of delivery, sensitivity of the patient, and route of administration. Exact dosage will be determined by the practitioner in light of factors related to the subject in need of the treatment.

[0166] Dosage and administration are adjusted to provide active moiety that maintains therapeutic effect. Factors for adjustment include the severity of the disease state, general health of the subject, age, weight, and gender of the subject, diet, time and frequency of administration, drug combination(s), reaction sensitivities, and tolerance/response to therapy. Long-acting pharmaceutical compositions may be administered every 3 to 4 days, every week, or once every two weeks depending on half-life and clearance rate of the particular composition.

[0167] Normal dosage amounts may vary from 0.1 μg, up to a total dose of about 1 g, depending upon the route of administration. The dosage of a particular composition may be lower when administered to a patient in combination with other agents, drugs, or hormones. Guidance as to particular dosages and methods of delivery is provided in the pharmaceutical literature. Further details on techniques for formulation and administration may be found in the latest edition of Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences (Mack Publishing, Easton Pa.).

[0168] Model Systems

[0169] Animal models may be used as bioassays where they exhibit a phenotypic response similar to that of humans and where exposure conditions are relevant to human exposures. Mammals are the most common models, and most infectious agent, cancer, drug, and toxicity studies are performed on rodents such as rats or mice because of low cost, availability, lifespan, reproductive potential, and abundant reference literature. Inbred and outbred rodent strains provide a convenient model for investigation of the physiological consequences of under- or over-expression of genes of interest and for the development of methods for diagnosis and treatment of diseases. A mammal inbred to over-express a particular gene (for example, secreted in milk) may also serve as a convenient source of the protein expressed by that gene.

[0170] Toxicology

[0171] Toxicology is the study of the effects of agents on living systems. The majority of toxicity studies are performed on rats or mice. Observation of qualitative and quantitative changes in physiology, behavior, homeostatic processes, and lethality in the rats or mice are used to generate a toxicity profile and to assess potential consequences on human health following exposure to the agent.

[0172] Genetic toxicology identifies and analyzes the effect of an agent on the rate of endogenous, spontaneous, and induced genetic mutations. Genotoxic agents usually have common chemical or physical properties that facilitate interaction with nucleic acids and are most harmful when chromosomal aberrations are transmitted to progeny. Toxicological studies may identify agents that increase the frequency of structural or functional abnormalities in the tissues of the progeny if administered to either parent before conception, to the mother during pregnancy, or to the developing organism. Mice and rats are most frequently used in these tests because their short reproductive cycle allows the production of the numbers of organisms needed to satisfy statistical requirements.

[0173] Acute toxicity tests are based on a single administration of an agent to the subject to determine the symptomology or lethality of the agent. Three experiments are conducted: 1) an initial dose-range-finding experiment, 2) an experiment to narrow the range of effective doses, and 3) a final experiment for establishing the dose-response curve.

[0174] Subchronic toxicity tests are based on the repeated administration of an agent. Rat and dog are commonly used in these studies to provide data from species in different families. With the exception of carcinogenesis, there is considerable evidence that daily administration of an agent at high-dose concentrations for periods of three to four months will reveal most forms of toxicity in adult animals.

[0175] Chronic toxicity tests, with a duration of a year or more, are used to demonstrate either the absence of toxicity or the carcinogenic potential of an agent. When studies are conducted on rats, a minimum of three test groups plus one control group are used, and animals are examined and monitored at the outset and at intervals throughout the experiment.

[0176] Transgenic Models

[0177] Transgenic rodents that over-express or under-express a gene of interest may be inbred and used to model human diseases or to test therapeutic or toxic agents. (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,383 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,337.) In some cases, the introduced gene may be activated at a specific time in a specific tissue type during fetal or postnatal development. Expression of the transgene is monitored by analysis of phenotype, of tissue-specific mRNA expression, or of serum and tissue protein levels in transgenic animals before, during, and after challenge with experimental drug therapies.

[0178] Embryonic Stem Cells

[0179] Embryonic (ES) stem cells isolated from rodent embryos retain the potential to form embryonic tissues. When ES cells are placed inside a carrier embryo, they resume normal development and contribute to tissues of the live-born animal. ES cells are the preferred cells used in the creation of experimental knockout and knockin rodent strains. Mouse ES cells, such as the mouse 129/SvJ cell line, are derived from the early mouse embryo and are grown under culture conditions well known in the art. Vectors used to produce a transgenic strain contain a disease gene candidate and a marker gen, the latter serves to identify the presence of the introduced disease gene. The vector is transformed into ES cells by methods well known in the art, and transformed ES cells are identified and microinjected into mouse cell blastocysts such as those from the C57BL/6 mouse strain. The blastocysts are surgically transferred to pseudopregnant dams, and the resulting chimeric progeny are genotyped and bred to produce heterozygous or homozygous strains.

[0180] ES cells derived from human blastocysts may be manipulated in vitro to differentiate into at least eight separate cell lineages. These lineages are used to study the differentiation of various cell types and tissues in vitro, and they include endoderm, mesoderm, and ectodermal cell types which differentiate into, for example, neural cells, hematopoietic lineages, and cardiomyocytes.

[0181] Knockout Analysis

[0182] In gene knockout analysis, a region of a mammalian gene is enzymatically modified to include a non-mammalian gene such as the neomycin phosphotransferase gene (neo; Capecchi (1989) Science 244:1288-1292). The modified gene is transformed into cultured ES cells and integrates into the endogenous genome by homologous recombination. The inserted sequence disrupts transcription and translation of the endogenous gene. Transformed cells are injected into rodent blastulae, and the blastulae are implanted into pseudopregnant dams. Transgenic progeny are crossbred to obtain homozygous inbred lines which lack a functional copy of the mammalian gene. In one example, the mammalian gene is a human gene.

[0183] Knockin Analysis

[0184] ES cells can be used to create knockin humanized animals (pigs) or transgenic animal models (mice or rats) of human diseases. With knockin technology, a region of a human gene is injected into animal ES cells, and the human sequence integrates into the animal cell genome. Transformed cells are injected into blastulae, and the blastulae are implanted as described above. Transgenic progeny or inbred lines are studied and treated with potential pharmaceutical agents to obtain information on treatment of the analogous human condition. These methods have been used to model several human diseases.

[0185] Non-Human Primate Model

[0186] The field of animal testing deals with data and methodology from basic sciences such as physiology, genetics, chemistry, pharmacology and statistics. These data are paramount in evaluating the effects of therapeutic agents on non-human primates as they can be related to human health. Monkeys are used as human surrogates in vaccine and drug evaluations, and their responses are relevant to human exposures under similar conditions. Cynomolgus and Rhesus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis and Macaca mulatta, respectively) and Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) are the most common non-human primates (NHPs) used in these investigations. Since great cost is associated with developing and maintaining a colony of NHPs, early research and toxicological studies are usually carried out in rodent models. In studies using behavioral measures such as drug addiction, NHPs are the first choice test animal. In addition, NHPs and individual humans exhibit differential sensitivities to many drugs and toxins and can be classified as a range of phenotypes from “extensive metabolizers” to “poor metabolizers” of these agents.

[0187] In additional embodiments, the nucleic acid molecules which encode the protein may be used in any molecular biology techniques that have yet to be developed, provided the new techniques rely on properties of nucleic acid molecules that are currently known, including, but not limited to, such properties as the triplet genetic code and specific base pair interactions.

EXAMPLES

[0188] The examples below are provided to illustrate the subject invention and are not included for the purpose of limiting the invention. For purposes of example, preparation of the human cerebellum (CRBLNOT01), prostate (PROSBPT03), and normalized brain (BRAINON01) libraries will be described.

[0189] I Tissues

[0190] Cerebellum

[0191] The tissue used for cerebellum library construction was obtained from a 69 year-old, Caucasian male (RT95-05-0301; International Institute for Advanced Medicine, Exton PA). The frozen tissue was homogenized and lysed using a POLYTRON homogenizer (PT-3000; Brinkmann Instruments, Westbury N.J.). The reagents and extraction procedures were used as supplied in the RNA Isolation kit (Stratagene). The lysate was centrifuged over a 5.7 M CsCl cushion using an SW28 rotor in an L8-70M ultracentrifuge (Beckman Coulter, Fullerton Calif. ) for 18 hr at 25,000 rpm at ambient temperature. The RNA was extracted twice with phenol chloroform, pH 8.0, and once with acid phenol, pH 4.0; precipitated using 0.3 M sodium acetate and 2.5 volumes of ethanol; resuspended in water; and treated with DNAse for 15 min at 37C. The RNA was isolated with the OLIGOTEX kit (Qiagen, Chatsworth Calif.) and used to construct the cDNA library.

[0192] Prostate

[0193] Diseased prostate tissue removed from a 59-year-old Caucasian male during a radical prostatectomy was used to construct the PROSBPT03 library. Pathology for the tumor indicated adenocarcinoma, Gleason grade 3+3, with microscopic foci involving the right and left sides peripherally. The tumor was confined and did not involve the capsule. High-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia was identified on the right side peripherally. The patient presented with elevated prostate specific antigen. Family history included cerebrovascular disease in both parents and prostate cancer in a sibling.

[0194] II cDNA Library Construction

[0195] To construct the cDNA library, polyA RNA was used according to the recommended protocols in the SUPERSCRIPT Plasmid system (Invitrogen). First strand cDNA synthesis was accomplished using oligo d(T) priming, and second strand synthesis was performed using a combination of DNA polymerase I, E. coli ligase, and RNAse H. The cDNA was blunted with T4 polymerase, and a Sal I linker was added to the blunt end of the cDNA. The Sal I adapted, double stranded cDNAs were the digested with Not I and fractionated on a SEPHAROSE CL4B column (APB).

[0196] Those cerebellum cDNAs exceeding 400 bp were ligated into pSPORT1 plasmid (Invitrogen) which was subsequently transformed into DH5α competent cells (Invitrogen). Those prostate cDNAs exceeding 400 bp were ligated into the NotI and EcoRI sites of the pINCY plasmid (Incyte Genomics) which was subsequently transformed into competent DH5α or ELECTROMAX DH10B competent cells (Life Technologies).

[0197] Normalization

[0198] For purposes of example, the normalization of the human brain library (BRAINON01) is described. About 4.9×10⁶ independent clones of the BRAINOT03 plasmid library in E. coli strain DH12S competent cells (Invitrogen) were grown in liquid culture under carbenicillin (25 mg/l) and methicillin (1 mg/ml) selection following transformation by electroporation. To reduce the number of excess cDNA copies according to their abundance levels in the library, the cDNA library was normalized in a single round according to the procedure of Soares et al. (1994, Proc Natl Acad Sci 91:9228-9232), with the following modifications. The primer to template ratio in the primer extension reaction was increased from 2:1 to 10:1. The dNTP concentration in the reaction was reduced to 150 μM for each dNTP to allow the generation of longer (400 to 1000 nt) primer extension products. The reannealing hybridization was extended from 13 to 48 hr. The single stranded DNA circles of the normalized library were purified by hydroxyapatite chromatography, converted to partially double-stranded by random priming, and electroporated into E. coli strain DH10B competent cells (Invitrogen).

[0199] III Isolation and Sequencing of cDNA Clones

[0200] Plasmid DNA was released from the cells and purified using either the MINIPREP kit (Edge Biosystems, Gaithersburg Md.) or the REAL Prep 96 plasmid kit (Qiagen). This kit consists of a 96-well block with reagents for 960 purifications. The recommended protocol was employed except for the following changes: 1) the bacteria were inoculated into 1 ml of sterile TERRIFIC BROTH (BD Biosciences, Sparks Md.) with carbenicillin at 25 mg/l and glycerol at 0.4%; 2) after being cultured for 19 hours, the cells were lysed with 0.3 ml of lysis buffer; and 3) following isopropanol precipitation of the lysate, the plasmid DNA pellet was resuspended in 0.1 ml of distilled water. Following the last step in the protocol, samples were transferred to a 96-well block for storage at 4C.

[0201] The cDNAs were prepared for sequencing using the MICROLAB 2200 system (Hamilton, Reno Nev.) in combination with DNA ENGINE thermal cyclers (MJ Research). The cDNAs were sequenced by the method of Sanger and Coulson (1975; J Mol Biol 94:441-448) using an PRISM 377 sequencing system (ABI) or the MEGABASE 1000 DNA sequencing system (APB). Most of the cDNAs were sequenced according to standard ABI protocols and kits (with solution volumes of 0.25×-1.0× concentrations). In the alternative, cDNAs were sequenced using APB solutions and dyes.

[0202] IV Extension of a Polynucleotide Sequence

[0203] The nucleic acid molecules were extended using a cDNA clone and oligonucleotide primers. One primer was synthesized to initiate 5′ extension of the known fragment, and the other, to initiate 3′ extension of the known fragment. The initial primers were designed using OLIGO software (Molecular Biology Insights), or another appropriate program, to be about 22 to 30 nucleotides in length, to have a GC content of about 50% or more, and to anneal to the target sequence at temperatures of about 68C to about 72C. Any stretch of nucleotides that would result in hairpin structures and primer-primer dimerizations was avoided.

[0204] Selected cDNA libraries were used as templates to extend the sequence. If more than one extension is desired, additional or nested sets of primers are designed and used with libraries that have been size-selected to include larger cDNAs and contain more sequences with the 5′ and upstream regions of genes. A randomly primed library is used if an oligo d(T) library does not yield a full length cDNA. Genomic libraries are used for extension 5′ of the promoter binding region in order to obtain regulatory elements.

[0205] High fidelity amplification was obtained by PCR using methods such as that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,451. PCR was performed in 96-well plates using the DNA ENGINE thermal cycler (MJ Research). The reaction mix contained DNA template, 200 nmol of each primer, reaction buffer containing Mg²⁺, (NH₄)₂SO₄, and β-mercaptoethanol, Taq DNA polymerase (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech), ELONGASE enzyme (Life Technologies), and Pfu DNA polymerase (Stratagene), with the following parameters for primer pair PCI A and PCI B (Incyte Genomics): 1: 94C, three min; 2: 94C, 15 sec; 3: 60C, one min; 4: 68C, two min; 5: 2, 3, and 4 repeated 20 times; 6: 68C, five min; and 7: storage at 4C. In the alternative, the parameters for primer pair T7 and SK+ (Stratagene) were as follows: 1: 94C, three min; 2: 94C, 15 sec; 3: 57C, one min; 4: 68C, two min; 5: 2, 3, and 4 repeated 20 times; 6: 68C, five min; and 7: storage at 4C.

[0206] The concentration of DNA in each well was determined by dispensing 100 μl PICOGREEN quantitation reagent (0.25% reagent in 1× TE, v/v; Molecular Probes) and 0.5 μl of undiluted PCR product into each well of an opaque fluorimeter plate (Corning Life Sciences, Acton MA) and allowing the DNA to bind to the reagent. The plate was scanned in a Fluoroskan II (Labsystems Oy) to measure the fluorescence of the sample and to quantify the concentration of DNA. A 5 μl to 10 μL aliquot of the reaction mixture was analyzed by electrophoresis on a 1% agarose mini-gel to determine which reactions were successful in extending the sequence.

[0207] The extended nucleotide sequences were desalted, concentrated, transferred to 384-well plates, digested with CviJI cholera virus endonuclease (Molecular Biology Research, Madison Wis.), and sonicated or sheared prior to religation into pUC18 vector (APB). For shotgun sequences, the digested nucleotide sequences were separated on low concentration (0.6 to 0.8%) agarose gels, fragments were excised, and the agar was digested with AGARACE enzyme (Promega). Extended clones were religated using T4 DNA ligase (New England Biolabs) into pUC18 vector (APB), treated with Pfu DNA polymerase (Stratagene) to fill-in restriction site overhangs, and transfected into E. coli competent cells. Transformed cells were selected on antibiotic-containing media, and individual colonies were picked and cultured overnight at 37C in 384-well plates in LB/2× carbenicillin liquid media.

[0208] The cells were lysed, and DNA was amplified using primers, Taq DNA polymerase (APB) and Pfu DNA polymerase (Stratagene) with the following parameters: 1: 94C, three min; 2: 94C, 15 sec; 3: 60C, one min; 4: 72C, two min; 5: 2, 3, and 4 repeated 29 times; 6: 72C, five min; and 7: storage at 4C. DNA was quantified using PICOGREEN quantitative reagent (Molecular Probes) as described above. Samples with low DNA recoveries were reamplified using the conditions described above. Samples were diluted with 20% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO; 1:2, v/v), and sequenced using DYENAMIC energy transfer sequencing primers and the DYENAMIC DIRECT cycle sequencing kit (APB) or the PRISM BIGDYE terminator cycle sequencing kit (ABI).

[0209] V Homology Searching of Nucleic Acid Molecules and Their Deduced Proteins

[0210] The nucleic acid molecules of the Sequence Listing or their deduced amino acid sequences were used to query databases such as GenBank, SwissProt, BLOCKS, and the like. These databases that contain previously identified and annotated sequences or domains were searched using BLAST or BLAST 2 to produce alignments and to determine which sequences were exact matches or homologs. The alignments were to sequences of prokaryotic (bacterial) or eukaryotic (animal, fungal, or plant) origin. Alternatively, algorithms such as the one described in Smith and Smith (1992, Protein Engineering 5:35-51) could have been used to deal with primary sequence patterns and secondary structure gap penalties. All of the sequences disclosed in this application have lengths of at least 49 nucleotides, and no more than 12% uncalled bases (where N is recorded rather than A, C, G, or T).

[0211] BLAST matches between a query sequence and a database sequence were evaluated statistically and only reported when they satisfied the threshold of 10⁻²⁵ for nucleotides and 10⁻¹⁴ for peptides. Homology was also evaluated by product score calculated as follows: the % nucleotide or amino acid identity [between the query and reference sequences] in BLAST is multiplied by the % maximum possible BLAST score [based on the lengths of query and reference sequences] and then divided by 100. In comparison with hybridization procedures used in the laboratory, the electronic stringency for an exact match was set at 70, and the conservative lower limit for an exact match was set at approximately 40 (with 1-2% error due to uncalled bases).

[0212] The BLAST software suite, freely available sequence comparison algorithms (NCBI, Bethesda Md.) includes various sequence analysis programs including “blastn”, that is used to align known nucleic acid molecules, BLAST 2 that is used for direct pairwise comparison of either nucleic or amino acid molecules. BLAST programs are commonly used with gap and other parameters set to default settings, e.g.: Matrix: BLOSUM62; Reward for match: 1; Penalty for mismatch: −2; Open Gap: 5 and Extension Gap: 2 penalties; Gap x drop-off: 50; Expect: 10; Word Size: 11; and Filter: on. Identity or similarity may be measured over the entire length of a sequence or some smaller portion thereof. Brenner (supra) analyzed BLAST for its ability to identify structural homologs by sequence identity and found 30% identity is a reliable threshold for sequence alignments of at least 150 residues and 40%, for alignments of at least 70 residues.

[0213] The mammalian nucleic acid molecules of this application were compared with assembled consensus sequences or templates found in the LIFESEQ GOLD database (Incyte Genomics). Component sequences from cDNA, extension, full length, and shotgun sequencing projects were subjected to PHRED analysis and assigned a quality score. All sequences with an acceptable quality score were subjected to various pre-processing and editing pathways to remove low quality 3′ ends, vector and linker sequences, polyA tails, Alu repeats, mitochondrial and ribosomal sequences, and bacterial contamination sequences. Edited sequences had to be at least 50 bp in length, and low-information sequences and repetitive elements such as dinucleotide repeats, Alu repeats, and the like, were replaced by “Ns” or masked.

[0214] Edited sequences were subjected to assembly procedures in which the sequences were assigned to gene bins. Each sequence could only belong to one bin, and sequences in each bin were assembled to produce a template. Newly sequenced components were added to existing bins using BLAST and CROSSMATCH. To be added to a bin, the component sequences had to have a BLAST quality score greater than or equal to 150 and an alignment of at least 82% local identity. The sequences in each bin were assembled using PHRAP. Bins with several overlapping component sequences were assembled using DEEP PHRAP. The orientation of each template was determined based on the number and orientation of its component sequences.

[0215] Bins were compared to one another and those having local similarity of at least 82% were combined and reassembled. Bins having templates with less than 95% local identity were split. Templates were subjected to analysis by STITCHER/EXON MAPPER algorithms that analyze the probabilities of the presence of splice variants, alternatively spliced exons, splice junctions, differential expression of alternative spliced genes across tissue types or disease states, and the like. Assembly procedures were repeated periodically, and templates were annotated using BLAST against GenBank databases such as GBpri. An exact match was defined as having from 95% local identity over 200 base pairs through 100% local identity over 100 base pairs and a homolog match as having an E-value (or probability score) of ≦1×10⁻⁸. The templates were also subjected to frameshift FASTx against GENPEPT, and homolog match was defined as having an E-value of ≦1×10⁻⁸. Template analysis and assembly was described in U.S. Ser. No. 09/276,534, filed Mar. 25, 1999.

[0216] Following assembly, templates were subjected to BLAST, motif, and other functional analyses and categorized in protein hierarchies using methods described in U.S. Ser. No. 08/812,290 and U.S. Ser. No. 08/811,758, both filed Mar. 6, 1997; in U.S. Ser. No. 08/947,845, filed Oct. 9, 1997; and in U.S. Ser. No. 09/034,807, filed Mar. 4, 1998. Then templates were analyzed by translating each template in all three forward reading frames and searching each translation against the PFAM database of hidden Markov model-based protein families and domains using the HMMER software package (Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis Mo.).

[0217] The nucleic acid molecule was further analyzed using MACDNASIS PRO software (Hitachi Software Engineering), and LASERGENE software (DNASTAR) and queried against public databases such as the GenBank rodent, mammalian, vertebrate, prokaryote, and eukaryote databases, SwissProt, BLOCKS, PRINTS, PFAM, and Prosite.

[0218] VI Northern Analysis

[0219] Northern blots are used to detect the presence of a transcript of a gene and involves the hybridization of a labeled nucleotide sequence to a membrane on which RNAs from a particular cell type or tissue have been bound. This technology is well known in the art, and the protocol has been clearly set forth in the manuals of Sambrook (supra, ch 7) and Ausubel (supra, unit 4), incorporated by reference herein.

[0220] Electronic Northern Analysis

[0221] Computer techniques applying BLAST were used to search for identical or related molecules in nucleotide databases such as GenBank or LIFESEQ databases (Incyte Genomics). The product score for human and rat sequences was calculated as follows: the BLAST score is multiplied by the % nucleotide identity and the product is divided by (5 times the length of the shorter of the two sequences), such that a 100% alignment over the length of the shorter sequence gives a product score of 100. The product score takes into account both the degree of similarity between two sequences and the length of the sequence match. For example, with a product score of 40, the match will be exact within a 1% to 2% error, and with a product score of at least 70, the match will be exact. Similar or related molecules are usually identified by selecting those which show product scores between 8 and 40.

[0222] The results of the electronic northern performed at a product score of 70 are shown in FIG. 2. Analysis involved the categorization of cDNA libraries by system, organ/tissue and cell type. The categories included cardiovascular system, connective tissue (specifically cancerous breast fibroblasts), digestive system, embryonic structures, endocrine system, exocrine glands, female and male genitalia (specifically cancerous prostate), germ cells, hemic and immune system, liver, musculoskeletal system, nervous system, pancreas, respiratory system, sense organs, skin, stomatognathic system, unclassified/mixed, and the urinary tract For each category, the number of libraries expressing the sequence was counted and shown over the total number of libraries in that category. Electronic northern analysis can be used to support data from other methodologies such as hybridization, guilt-by-association and array technologies.

[0223] VII Hybridization Technologies and Analyses

[0224] Sample Preparation

[0225] Normal and cancerous lung tissue samples were obtained from the Roy Castle International Centre for Lung Cancer Research (Liverpool UK). All samples are described by donor identification number in the table below. The first column shows the donor ID; the second, donor age/sex; and the third column, a description of these non-small cell lung cancers. Donor ID Age/Sex* Sample and Description 5795 71/F Adenocarcinoma 7188 54/M Adenocarcinoma, stage III 7965 54/F Adenocarcinoma, stage III 7966 39/F Adenocarcinoma, stage III 7968 58/M Squamous carcinoma, stage III 7975 62/M Adenocarcarcinoma, stage III 7976 U/U Non small cell cancer, stage III 9007 U/U Normal lung, pool

[0226] Immobilization of Nucleic Acid Molecules on a Substrate

[0227] Nucleic acid molecules are applied to a substrate by one of the following methods. A mixture of nucleic acid molecules is fractionated by gel electrophoresis and transferred to a nylon membrane by capillary transfer. Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecules are individually ligated to a vector and inserted into bacterial host cells to form a library. The nucleic acid molecules are then arranged on a substrate by one of the following methods. In the first method, bacterial cells containing individual clones are robotically picked and arranged on a nylon membrane. The membrane is placed on LB agar containing selective agent (carbenicillin, kanamycin, ampicillin, or chloramphenicol depending on the vector used) and incubated at 37C for 16 hr. The membrane is removed from the agar and consecutively placed colony side up in 10% SDS, denaturing solution (1.5 M NaCl, 0.5 M NaOH ), neutralizing solution (1.5 M NaCl, 1 M Tris, pH 8.0), and twice in 2×SSC for 10 min each. The membrane is then UV irradiated in a STRATALINKER UV-crosslinker (Stratagene).

[0228] In the second method, nucleic acid molecules are amplified from bacterial vectors by thirty cycles of PCR using primers complementary to vector sequences flanking the insert. PCR amplification increases a starting concentration of 1-2 ng nucleic acid to a final quantity greater than 5 μg. Amplified nucleic acids from about 400 bp to about 5000 bp in length are purified using SEPHACRYL-400 beads (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech). Purified nucleic acids are arranged on a nylon membrane manually or using a dot/slot blotting manifold and suction device and are immobilized by denaturation, neutralization, and UV irradiation as described above. Purified nucleic acids are robotically arranged and immobilized on polymer-coated glass slides using the procedure described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,522. Polymer-coated slides are prepared by cleaning glass microscope slides (Corning, Acton MA) by ultrasound in 0.1% SDS and acetone, etching in 4% hydrofluoric acid (VWR Scientific Products, West Chester Pa.), coating with 0.05% aminopropyl silane (Sigma Aldrich) in 95% ethanol, and curing in a 110C oven. The slides are washed extensively with distilled water between and after treatments. The nucleic acids are arranged on the slide and then immobilized by exposing the array to UV irradiation using a STRATALINKER UV-crosslinker (Stratagene). Arrays are then washed at room temperature in 0.2% SDS and rinsed three times in distilled water. Non-specific binding sites are blocked by incubation of arrays in 0.2% casein in phosphate buffered saline (PBS; Tropix, Bedford Mass.) for 30 min at 60C; then the arrays are washed in 0.2% SDS and rinsed in distilled water as before.

[0229] The HUMAN GENOME GEM series 1 microarray (Incite Genomic) used in the lung cancer study contains 9,766 array elements which represent 7,612 annotated clusters and 1,382 unannotated clusters.

[0230] Probe Preparation for Membrane Hybridization

[0231] Hybridization probes derived from the nucleic acid molecules of the Sequence Listing are employed for screening cDNAs, mRNAs, or genomic DNA in membrane-based hybridizations. Probes are prepared by diluting the nucleic acid molecules to a concentration of 40-50 ng in 45 μl TE buffer, denaturing by heating to 100C for five min, and briefly centrifuging. The denatured nucleic acid molecule is then added to a REDIPRIME tube (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech), gently mixed until blue color is evenly distributed, and briefly centrifuged. Five μl of [³²P]dCTP is added to the tube, and the contents are incubated at 37C for 10 min. The labeling reaction is stopped by adding 5 μl of 0.2M EDTA, and probe is purified from unincorporated nucleotides using a PROBEQUANT G-50 microcolumn (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech). The purified probe is heated to 100C for five min, snap cooled for two min on ice, and used in membrane-based hybridizations as described below.

[0232] Probe Preparation for Polymer Coated Slide Hybridization

[0233] Hybridization probes derived from mRNA isolated from samples are employed for screening nucleic acid molecules of the Sequence Listing in array-based hybridizations. Probe is prepared using the GEMbright kit (Incyte Genomics) by diluting mRNA to a concentration of 200 ng in 9 μl TE buffer and adding 5 μl 5× buffer, 1 μl 0.1 M DTT, 3 μl Cy3 or Cy5 labeling mix, 1 μl RNase inhibitor, 1 μl reverse transcriptase, and 5 μl 1× yeast control mRNAs. Yeast control mRNAs are synthesized by in vitro transcription from noncoding yeast genomic DNA (W. Lei, unpublished). As quantitative controls, one set of control mRNAs at 0.002 ng, 0.02 ng, 0.2 ng, and 2 ng are diluted into reverse transcription reaction mixture at ratios of 1:100,000, 1:10,000, 1:1000, and 1:100 (w/w) to sample mRNA respectively. To examine mRNA differential expression patterns, a second set of control mRNAs are diluted into reverse transcription reaction mixture at ratios of 1:3, 3:1, 1:10, 10:1, 1:25, and 25:1 (w/w). The reaction mixture is mixed and incubated at 37C for two hr. The reaction mixture is then incubated for 20 min at 85C, and probes are purified using two successive CHROMA SPIN+TE 30 columns (Clontech, Palo Alto Calif.). Purified probe is ethanol precipitated by diluting probe to 90 μl in DEPC-treated water, adding 2 μl 1 mg/ml glycogen, 60 μl 5 M sodium acetate, and 300 μl 100% ethanol. The probe is centrifuged for 20 min at 20,800×g, and the pellet is resuspended in 12 μl resuspension buffer, heated to 65C for five min, and mixed thoroughly. The probe is heated and mixed as before and then stored on ice. Probe is used in high density array-based hybridizations as described below.

[0234] Membrane-based Hybridization

[0235] Membranes are pre-hybridized in hybridization solution containing 1% Sarkosyl and lx high phosphate buffer (0.5 M NaCl, 0.1 M Na₂HPO₄, 5 mM EDTA, pH 7) at 55C for two hr. The probe, diluted in 15 ml fresh hybridization solution, is then added to the membrane. The membrane is hybridized with the probe at 55C for 16 hr. Following hybridization, the membrane is washed for 15 min at 25C in 1 mM Tris (pH 8.0), 1% Sarkosyl, and four times for 15 min each at 25C in 1 mM Tris (pH 8.0). To detect hybridization complexes, XOMAT-AR film (Eastman Kodak, Rochester N.Y.) is exposed to the membrane overnight at −70C, developed, and examined visually.

[0236] Polymer Coated Slide-based Hybridization

[0237] Probe is heated to 65C for five min, centrifuged five min at 9400 rpm in a 5415C microcentrifuge (Eppendorf Scientific, Westbury N.Y.), and then 18 μl is aliquoted onto the array surface and covered with a coverslip. The arrays are transferred to a waterproof chamber having a cavity just slightly larger than a microscope slide. The chamber is kept at 100% humidity internally by the addition of 140 μl of 5×SSC in a corner of the chamber. The chamber containing the arrays is incubated for about 6.5 hr at 60C. The arrays are washed for 10 min at 45C in 1×SSC, 0.1% SDS, and three times for 10 min each at 45C in 0.1×SSC, and dried.

[0238] Hybridization reactions are performed in absolute or differential hybridization formats. In the absolute hybridization format, probe from one sample is hybridized to array elements, and signals are detected after hybridization complexes form. Signal strength correlates with probe mRNA levels in the sample. In the differential hybridization format, differential expression of a set of genes in two biological samples is analyzed. Probes from the two samples are prepared and labeled with different labeling moieties. A mixture of the two labeled probes is hybridized to the array elements, and signals are examined under conditions in which the emissions from the two different labels are individually detectable. Elements on the array that are hybridized to equal numbers of probes derived from both biological samples give a distinct combined fluorescence (Shalon WO95/35505).

[0239] Hybridization complexes are detected with a microscope equipped with an Innova 70 mixed gas 10 W laser (Coherent, Santa Clara Calif.) capable of generating spectral lines at 488 nm for excitation of Cy3 and at 632 nm for excitation of Cy5. The excitation laser light is focused on the array using a 20X microscope objective (Nikon, Melville N.Y.). The slide containing the array is placed on a computer-controlled X-Y stage on the microscope and raster-scanned past the objective with a resolution of 20 micrometers. In the differential hybridization format, the two fluorophores are sequentially excited by the laser. Emitted light is split, based on wavelength, into two photomultiplier tube detectors (PMT R1477, Hamamatsu Photonics Systems, Bridgewater N.J.) corresponding to the two fluorophores. Appropriate filters positioned between the array and the photomultiplier tubes are used to filter the signals. The emission maxima of the fluorophores used are 565 nm for Cy3 and 650 nm for Cy5. The sensitivity of the scans is calibrated using the signal intensity generated by the yeast control mRNAs added to the probe mix. A specific location on the array contains a complementary DNA sequence, allowing the intensity of the signal at that location to be correlated with a weight ratio of hybridizing species of 1:100,000.

[0240] The output of the photomultiplier tube is digitized using a 12-bit RTI-835H analog-to-digital (AID) conversion board (Analog Devices, Norwood Mass.) installed in an IBM-compatible PC computer. The digitized data are displayed as an image where the signal intensity is mapped using a linear 20-color transformation to a pseudocolor scale ranging from blue (low signal) to red (high signal). The data is also analyzed quantitatively. Where two different fluorophores are excited and measured simultaneously, the data are first corrected for optical crosstalk (due to overlapping emission spectra) between the fluorophores using the emission spectrum for each fluorophore. A grid is superimposed over the fluorescence signal image such that the signal from each spot is centered in each element of the grid. The fluorescence signal within each element is then integrated to obtain a numerical value corresponding to the average intensity of the signal. The software used for signal analysis is the GEMTOOLS program (Incyte Genomics).

[0241] VIII QPCR

[0242] QPCR was used to examine expression of human NIM1 kinase in various cell lines and tissues. The cell lines, obtained from sources such as ATCC, were H460 human non-small cell lung carcinoma, A2780 human ovarian carcinoma line, A375 human melanoma cell line, HDF human dermal fibroblasts, HELA human cervix carcinoma, DU145 androgen-independent prostate carcinoma cell line, MDA-MB231 human mammary tumor cells, U87 glioblastoma tumor cells, and BX-PC3 pancreatic cancer cells. The cell lines were plated in culture dishes and grown in RPM1 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, 2 mM glutamine at 37C in 5% CO₂ until they were 90% confluent. The tissues, brain, colon, uterus and placenta, were obtained as MTN blots (Human I, II, III, and IV) from Clontech.

[0243] QPCR was performed using the PRISM 7700 Detection system and TAQMAN assay reagents (TAQMAN Universal PCR Master mix) according to manufacturer instructions (all ABI). All reactions were performed in triplicate.

[0244] The primers used in the reaction included SEQ ID NOs:37-39. Relative quantification was done using 18s RNA as the standard. The linearity of this standardization procedure was described in Spiess and Ivell (1999; Biotechniques 26:46-50, incorporated herein by reference).

[0245] IX Complementary Nucleic Acid Molecules

[0246] Molecules complementary to the nucleic acid molecule, or a fragment thereof, are used to detect, decrease, or inhibit gene expression. Although use of oligonucleotides comprising from about 15 to about 30 base pairs is described, the same procedure is used with larger or smaller fragments or their derivatives (PNAs). Appropriate oligonucleotides are selected using OLIGO software (Molecular Biology Insights). To inhibit transcription by preventing promoter binding, a complementary oligonucleotide is designed to bind to the most unique 5′ sequence, most preferably about 10 nucleotides before the initiation codon of the open reading frame. To inhibit translation, a complementary oligonucleotide is designed to prevent ribosomal binding to the mRNA encoding the protein.

[0247] In addition to using antisense molecules constructed to interrupt transcription or translation, modifications of gene expression can be obtained by designing antisense molecules to genomic sequences (such as enhancers or introns) or even to trans-acting regulatory genes. Similarly, antisense inhibition can be achieved using Hogeboom base-pairing methodology, also known as “triple helix” base pairing. Antisense molecules involved in triple helix pairing compromise the ability of the double helix to open sufficiently for the binding of polymerases, transcription factors, or regulatory molecules.

[0248] Such antisense molecules are placed in expression vectors and used to transform preferred cells or tissues. This may include introduction of the expression vector into a cell line to test efficacy; into an organ, tumor, synovial cavity, or the vascular system for transient or short term therapy; or into a stem cell or other reproducing lineage for long term or stable gene therapy. Transient expression may last for a month or more with a non-replicating vector and for three months or more if appropriate elements for inducing vector replication are used in the transformation/expression system.

[0249] Stable transformation of appropriate dividing cells with a vector encoding the antisense molecule can produce a transgenic cell line, tissue, or organism (U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,866). Those cells that assimilate and replicate sufficient quantities of the vector to allow stable integration also produce enough antisense molecules to compromise or entirely eliminate activity of the nucleic acid molecule encoding the mammalian protein.

[0250] X Expression of NIM1 Kinase

[0251] Expression of the human NIM1 kinase was achieved using monkey and insect cell-based expression systems. The cDNA was purified using QIAPREP spin miniprep kit and PLASMID MAXI kit (both Qiagen) accordingly to the manufacturer's instructions.

[0252] For transient expression, the cDNA was cloned into the pcDNA3.1(−)/myc-His B vector (Invitrogen) and the vector pcDNA3-Nim1 was transformed into COS1-1 cells using CaPO₄ transfection kit 2-463335 (Eppendorf—5 Prime, Boulder Colo.). 4×10⁶ cells were seeded in 10 cm tissue culture dishes 24 hr before transformation. On the day of transformation, CaPO₄-DNA precipitate was obtained using 500 ml 2× DNA precipitation buffer, 62 ml M CaC₂, 10 mg (10 ml) pcDNA3-NIM1, and 428 ml water. After the mixture was incubated at room temperature for 20 min, it was slowly added to 9 ml of culture medium (DMEM, 10% fetal calf serum, 2 mM glutamine, 10 mg/ml penicillin, and 10 mg/ml streptomycin). Cells were incubated at 37C at 5% CO₂ for 4 h. The medium was replaced with fresh medium, and cells were incubated for 48 additional hours.

[0253] Sf21 insect cells were cotransformed according to instructions supplied with the BACULOGOLD transfection kit (BD Pharmingen, San Diego Calif.). 2×10⁶ cells were seeded in one 6 cm tissue culture dish and incubated at 27C for 15 min. 4 mg (4 ml) of pVL1392/GST-NIM1 expression vector were combined with 0.5 mg (0.5 ml) of BACULOGOLD DNA and incubated at room temperature for 5 min. The culture medium (TNM-FH) was removed and replaced with 1 ml of Buffer A. The DNA mixture was diluted in 1 ml of Buffer B and added drop by drop to the cotransfection plate. After the plate was incubated at 27C for 4 hours, the medium was replaced, and the cells were incubated for 5 days.

[0254] The recombinant viruses were subjected to three cycles of amplification to obtain a 10⁷ pfu/ml viral stock. 1.2×10⁷ Sf21 insect cells were infected with 10 ml of viral stock and incubated at 27C. After 3 days, the cells were lysed, and the protein was purified.

[0255] XI Protein Purification

[0256] His-Purification

[0257] COS-1 cells were centrifuged at 1000 rpm, resuspended in 4 ml of lysis buffer (5 mM imidazole+0.5 mM NaCl+20 mM Na₂HPO₄+Complete protease inhibitor cocktail tablets (Roche Applied Science, Indianapolis Ind.) and sonicated. The soluble fraction was recovered by centrifugation at 10000 rpm for 10 min at 4C. The recombinant Nim1 kinase was purified by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (Invitrogen) according to manufacturer instructions. Purity was determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Coomassie blue staining. Protein concentration was determined using the Bradford method.

[0258] GST-Purification

[0259] Sf21 cells were centrifuged at 800 rpm, resuspended in 10 ml of lysis buffer (PBS+1 mM orthovanadate+20 mM DTT+Complete protease inhibitor cocktail tablets (Roche Applied Science), and sonicated. The soluble fraction was recovered by centrifugation at 10000 rpm for 10 min at 4C. The recombinant Nim1 kinase was purified by affinity chromatography on glutathione-SEPHAROSE resin (APB) following the manufacturer's instructions. Purity was determined using SDS-PAGE followed by Coomassie blue staining. Protein concentration was determined using the Bradford method.

[0260] For Western blot analysis, proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE and analyzed by immunoblotting (with either GST-HRP conjugated antibody or His-HRP conjugated antibody, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Heidelberg Germany) using standard materials and techniques (ECL apparatus, APB).

[0261] XII Characterization of the Protein

[0262] In vitro translation of Incyte Clone number 3317608 was accomplished using the TNT T7 system (Promega) according to the manufacturer's instructions. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed the presence of a 48 kd protein. The size of the protein was confirmed by expressing pcDNA3-Nim1 as a template. As previously described, Nim1 kinase was expressed in both mammalian and insect cells. The purified protein was subjected to SDS-PAGE and revealed a 50 kd protein (including myc-His tag) and an 80 kd protein (including GST tag) respectively.

[0263] XIII Human NIM1 Kinase Assay

[0264] An in vitro kinase assay was performed by incubating 100 ng of recombinant Nim1-GST with 2 μg of myelin basic protein (MBP) or histone (HIST) in 20 μl of kinase buffer (50 mM Hepes, pH 7.5, 3 mM MgCl₂ and MnCl₂, 10 mM DTT and 6 μM NaOVa) containing 10 μCi of [γ-³²P]-ATP (3000 Ci/mmol; APB) for 30 min at 37C. The reaction was stopped by adding sample buffer and heating to 100C for 5 min. Samples were analyzed by SDS-PAGE, the gels were dried and subjected to autoradiographic analysis.

[0265] XIV Production of NIM1 Kinase Specific Antibodies

[0266] NIM1 kinase is purified using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and used to immunize mice or rabbits. Antibodies are produced using the protocols below. Alternatively, the amino acid sequence of NIM1 kinase is analyzed using LASERGENE software (DNASTAR) to determine regions of high immunogenicity. An immunogenic epitope, usually found near the C-terminus or in a hydrophilic region is selected, synthesized, and used to raise antibodies. Typically, epitopes of about 15 residues in length are produced using an 431A peptide synthesizer (ABI) using Fmoc-chemistry and coupled to KLH (Sigma-Aldrich) by reaction with N-maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester to increase immunogenicity.

[0267] Rabbits are immunized with the epitope-KLH complex in complete Freund's adjuvant. Immunizations are repeated at intervals thereafter in incomplete Freund's adjuvant. After twelve weeks, antisera are drawn and tested for specific recognition of hNIM1. Antisera that reacts positively with hNIM1 are affinity purified on a column containing beaded agarose resin to which the epitope has been conjugated. The column is equilibrated using 12 mL IMMUNOPURE Gentle Binding buffer (Pierce Chemical, Rockford Ill.). Three ml of rabbit antisera are combined with one ml of binding buffer and added to the top of the column. The antisera are allowed to bind to the epitope with gentle shaking at room temperature for 30 min. The column is allowed to settle for 30 min, drained by gravity flow, and washed with 16 ml binding buffer (4×4 ml additions of buffer). The antibody is eluted in one ml fractions with IMMUNOPURE Gentle Elution buffer (Pierce), and absorbance at 280 nm is determined. Peak fractions are pooled and dialyzed against 50 mM Tris, pH 7.4, 100 mM NaCl, and 10% glycerol. After dialysis, the concentration of the purified antibody is determined using the BCA assay (Pierce), aliquoted, and frozen.

[0268] XV Purification of Naturally Occurring Protein Using Specific Antibodies

[0269] Naturally occurring or recombinant mammalian protein is purified by immunoaffinity chromatography using antibodies that specifically bind the protein. An immunoaffinity column is constructed by covalently coupling the anti-NIM1 antibody to CNBr-activated SEPHAROSE resin (APB). Media containing the protein is passed over the immunoaffinity column, and the column is washed using high ionic strength buffers in the presence of detergent to allow preferential absorbance of the protein. After coupling, the protein is eluted from the column using a buffer of pH 2-3 or a high concentration of urea or thiocyanate ion to disrupt antibody/protein binding, and the protein is collected.

[0270] XVI Screening Molecules for Specific Binding with the Nucleic Acid Molecule or Protein

[0271] The nucleic acid molecule, or fragments thereof, or the protein, or portions thereof, are labeled with ³²P-dCTP, Cy3-dCTP, or Cy5-dCTP (APB), or with BIODIPY or FITC (Molecular Probes), respectively. Libraries of candidate molecules or compounds previously arranged on a substrate are incubated in the presence of labeled nucleic acid molecule or protein. After incubation under conditions for either a nucleic acid or amino acid sequence, the substrate is washed, and any position on the substrate retaining label, which indicates specific binding or complex formation, is assayed, and the ligand is identified. Data obtained using different concentrations of the nucleic acid or protein are used to calculate affinity between the labeled nucleic acid or protein and the bound molecule.

[0272] XVII Two-Hybrid Screen

[0273] A yeast two-hybrid system, MATCHMAKER LexA Two-Hybrid system (Clontech Laboratories, Palo Alto Calif.), is used to screen for peptides that bind the mammalian protein of the invention. A nucleic acid molecule encoding the protein is inserted into the multiple cloning site of a pLexA vector, ligated, and transformed into E. coli. cDNA, prepared from mRNA, is inserted into the multiple cloning site of a pB42AD vector, ligated, and transformed into E. coli to construct a cDNA library. The pLexA plasmid and pB42AD-cDNA library constructs are isolated from E. coli and used in a 2:1 ratio to co-transform competent yeast EGY48[p8op-lacZ] cells using a polyethylene glycol/lithium acetate protocol. Transformed yeast cells are plated on synthetic dropout (SD) media lacking histidine (-His), tryptophan (−Trp), and uracil (-Ura), and incubated at 30C until the colonies have grown up and can be counted. The colonies are pooled in a minimal volume of 1× TE (pH 7.5), replated on SD/-His/-Leu/-Trp/-Ura media supplemented with 2% galactose (Gal), 1% raffinose (Raf), and 80 mg/ml 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl P-d-galactopyranoside (X-Gal), and subsequently examined for growth of blue colonies. Interaction between expressed protein and cDNA fusion proteins activates expression of a LEU2 reporter gene in EGY48 and produces colony growth on media lacking leucine (-Leu). Interaction also activates expression of β-galactosidase from the p8op-lacZ reporter construct that produces blue color in colonies grown on X-Gal.

[0274] Positive interactions between expressed protein and cDNA fusion proteins are verified by isolating individual positive colonies and growing them in SD/-Trp/-Ura liquid medium for 1 to 2 days at 30C. A sample of the culture is plated on SD/-Trp/-Ura media and incubated at 30C until colonies appear. The sample is replica-plated on SD/-Trp/-Ura and SD/-His/-Trp/-Ura plates. Colonies that grow on SD containing histidine but not on media lacking histidine have lost the pLexA plasmid. Histidine-requiring colonies are grown on SD/Gal/Raf/X-Gal/-Trp/-Ura, and white colonies are isolated and propagated. The pB42AD-cDNA plasmid, which contains a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein that physically interacts with the mammalian protein, can be isolated from the yeast cells and characterized.

[0275] All patents and publications mentioned in the specification are herein incorporated by reference. Various modifications and variations of the described method and system of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention that are obvious to those skilled in the field of molecular biology or related fields are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.

1 39 1 2060 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 3317608CB1 1 cagagatgag atcccgcagc agggacgtgg gggcctccca ggggcattta cgcaccagag 60 tgcaagattc tctggccatc aagggaaata gcaaacagaa gcctttgtcc tggggcacag 120 ccacctacca caaagcatca gactccacgt ctggccagaa agttcctgga gtcccatcag 180 gccagtgggt atgtaacatg tgcctaattg tacagctaga gcctgcaagt tcaacgtgag 240 ggaaggtggg aaatgtcttg agtgaggcga gcagctcctg gctgggctgg gcagactcag 300 ctaccacgtt cactgccttc ctctcactaa agccgagagg gaggctgctc agctctcagg 360 aaaactcttt tgaaccctgg gcacctgctg tcctcagttg gcatctccca ccctctgagc 420 ctcttctgct cctgcacaac ctgcctcttc gctgagatgg agacgtgagc ccccgtggac 480 gatgactgca gtgtatatga atggaggtgg cctggtgaac ccccactatg cccggtggga 540 tcggcgcgac agtgtagaaa gtggctgtca gaccgagagt agcaaggtgg gtgaggaggg 600 acagccccgc cagctgacgc ccttcgagaa actgacacag gacatgtccc aggatgagaa 660 ggtggtgagg gagatcacgc tggggaaacg gataggcttc taccgaattc gaggggaaat 720 cggaagtgga aacttctccc aagtgaagct tgggattcac tccctaacca aagaaaaggt 780 ggccattaag atcctggaca agaccaagtt agaccagaaa acccagaggc tactatcccg 840 agaaatctcc agcatggaaa agctgcacca tcccaacatc atccgccttt acgaagtggt 900 ggagacccta tccaagctgc acttggtgat ggagtatgca gggggtgggg agctcttcgg 960 aaaaattagc actgagggga agctctctga accagaaagc aagctcatct tctcccagat 1020 tgtgtctgcc gtgaagcaca tgcatgaaaa ccaaattatt catagagatc tgaaagcaga 1080 aaatgtattc tataccagta atacttgtgt gaaggtgggc gattttggat tcagcacagt 1140 aagcaaaaaa ggtgaaatgc tgaacacttt ctgtgggtct cctccctacg ctgcgcctga 1200 actcttccgg gacgagcact acatcggcat ttacgtggat atctgggcct tgggggtgct 1260 tttgtacttc atggtgactg gcaccatgcc atttcgggca gaaaccgtgg ccaaactaaa 1320 aaagagcatc ctcgagggca catacagtgt accgccgcac gtgtcagagc cctgccaccg 1380 actcatccga ggagtccttc agcagatccc cacggagagg tacggaatcg actgcatcat 1440 gaatgatgaa tggatgcaag gggtgccata ccctacacct ttggaacctt tccaactgga 1500 tcccaaacat ttgtcggaaa ccagcactct caaggaagaa gaaaatgagg tcaaaagcac 1560 tttagaacat ttgggcatta cagaagagca tattcgaaat aaccaaggga gagatgctcg 1620 cagctcaatc acaggggtct atagaattat tttacataga gtccaaagga agaaggcttt 1680 ggaaagtgtc ccagtcatga tgctaccaga ccctaaagaa agagacctca aaaaagggtc 1740 ccgtgtctac agagggataa gacacacatc caaattttgc tcgattttat aaattgcact 1800 agactgcttg taactaacca agatgattgt tgctgcttct aaattttttt caaggacaac 1860 ttgagtggag acatttttgt aatttttaaa taaacttaaa tttgagatat gcaaaaaaaa 1920 aaaaaaaaag ggcggccgcc gactagtgag ctcgtcgacc cgggaattaa ttccggaccg 1980 gtacctgcag gcgtaccagc tttccctata gtggagtccg tattaaactt ggccgtaatc 2040 atggcataac ttgttccctg 2060 2 436 PRT Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte ID No 3317608CD1 2 Met Thr Ala Val Tyr Met Asn Gly Gly Gly Leu Val Asn Pro His 1 5 10 15 Tyr Ala Arg Trp Asp Arg Arg Asp Ser Val Glu Ser Gly Cys Gln 20 25 30 Thr Glu Ser Ser Lys Val Gly Glu Glu Gly Gln Pro Arg Gln Leu 35 40 45 Thr Pro Phe Glu Lys Leu Thr Gln Asp Met Ser Gln Asp Glu Lys 50 55 60 Val Val Arg Glu Ile Thr Leu Gly Lys Arg Ile Gly Phe Tyr Arg 65 70 75 Ile Arg Gly Glu Ile Gly Ser Gly Asn Phe Ser Gln Val Lys Leu 80 85 90 Gly Ile His Ser Leu Thr Lys Glu Lys Val Ala Ile Lys Ile Leu 95 100 105 Asp Lys Thr Lys Leu Asp Gln Lys Thr Gln Arg Leu Leu Ser Arg 110 115 120 Glu Ile Ser Ser Met Glu Lys Leu His His Pro Asn Ile Ile Arg 125 130 135 Leu Tyr Glu Val Val Glu Thr Leu Ser Lys Leu His Leu Val Met 140 145 150 Glu Tyr Ala Gly Gly Gly Glu Leu Phe Gly Lys Ile Ser Thr Glu 155 160 165 Gly Lys Leu Ser Glu Pro Glu Ser Lys Leu Ile Phe Ser Gln Ile 170 175 180 Val Ser Ala Val Lys His Met His Glu Asn Gln Ile Ile His Arg 185 190 195 Asp Leu Lys Ala Glu Asn Val Phe Tyr Thr Ser Asn Thr Cys Val 200 205 210 Lys Val Gly Asp Phe Gly Phe Ser Thr Val Ser Lys Lys Gly Glu 215 220 225 Met Leu Asn Thr Phe Cys Gly Ser Pro Pro Tyr Ala Ala Pro Glu 230 235 240 Leu Phe Arg Asp Glu His Tyr Ile Gly Ile Tyr Val Asp Ile Trp 245 250 255 Ala Leu Gly Val Leu Leu Tyr Phe Met Val Thr Gly Thr Met Pro 260 265 270 Phe Arg Ala Glu Thr Val Ala Lys Leu Lys Lys Ser Ile Leu Glu 275 280 285 Gly Thr Tyr Ser Val Pro Pro His Val Ser Glu Pro Cys His Arg 290 295 300 Leu Ile Arg Gly Val Leu Gln Gln Ile Pro Thr Glu Arg Tyr Gly 305 310 315 Ile Asp Cys Ile Met Asn Asp Glu Trp Met Gln Gly Val Pro Tyr 320 325 330 Pro Thr Pro Leu Glu Pro Phe Gln Leu Asp Pro Lys His Leu Ser 335 340 345 Glu Thr Ser Thr Leu Lys Glu Glu Glu Asn Glu Val Lys Ser Thr 350 355 360 Leu Glu His Leu Gly Ile Thr Glu Glu His Ile Arg Asn Asn Gln 365 370 375 Gly Arg Asp Ala Arg Ser Ser Ile Thr Gly Val Tyr Arg Ile Ile 380 385 390 Leu His Arg Val Gln Arg Lys Lys Ala Leu Glu Ser Val Pro Val 395 400 405 Met Met Leu Pro Asp Pro Lys Glu Arg Asp Leu Lys Lys Gly Ser 410 415 420 Arg Val Tyr Arg Gly Ile Arg His Thr Ser Lys Phe Cys Ser Ile 425 430 435 Leu 3 1051 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Template No 200700.1 3 gctgcaccat cccaacatca tccgccttta cgaagtggtg gagaccctat ccaagctgca 60 cttggtgatg gagtatgcag ggggtgggga gctcttcgga aaaattagca ctgaggggaa 120 gctctctgaa ccagaaagca agctcatctt ctcccagatt gtgtctgccg tgaagcacat 180 gcatgaaaac caaattattc atagagatct gaaagcagaa aatgtattct ataccagtaa 240 tacttgtgtg aaggtgggcg attttggatt cagcacagta agcaaaaaag gtgaaatgct 300 gaacactttc tgtgggtctc ctccctacgc tgcgcctgaa ctcttccggg acgagcacta 360 catcggcatt tacgtggata tctgggcctt gggggtgctt ttgtacttca tggtgactgg 420 caccatgcca tttcgggcag aaaccgtggc caaactaaaa aagagcatcc tcgagggcac 480 atacagtgta ccgccgcacg tgtcagagcc ctgccaccga ctcatccgag gagtccttca 540 gcagatcccc acggagaggt acggaatcga ctgcatcatg aatgatgaat ggatgcaagg 600 ggtgccatac cctacacctt tggaaccttt ccaactggat cccaaacatt tgtcggaaac 660 cagcactctc aaggaagaag aaaatgaggt caaaagcact ttagaacatt tgggcattac 720 agaagagcat attcgaaata accaagggag agatgctcgc agctcaatca caggggtcta 780 tagaattatt ttacatagag tccaaaggaa gaaggctttg gaaagtgtcc cagtcatgat 840 gctaccagac cctaaagaaa gagacctcaa aaaagggtcc cgtgtctaca gagggataag 900 acacacatcc aaattttgct cgattttata aattgcacta gactgcttgt aactaaccaa 960 gatgattgtt gctgcttcta aatttttttc aaggacaact tgagtggaga catttttgta 1020 atttttaaat aaacttaaat ttgagatatg c 1051 4 1507 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 670279CB1 4 gagcctcttc tgctcctgca caacctgcct cttcgctgag atggagacgt gagcccccgt 60 ggacgatgac tgcagtgtat atgaatggag gtggcctggt gaacccccca ctatgcccgg 120 tgggatcggc gcgacagtgt agaaagtggc tgtcagaccg agagtagcaa ggtgggtgag 180 gagggacagc cccgccagct gacgcccttc gagaaactga cacaggacat gtcccaggat 240 gagaaggtgg tgagggagat cacgctgggg aaacggatag gcttctaccg aattcgaggg 300 gaaatcggaa gtggaaactt ctcccaagtg aagcttggga ttcactccct aaccaaagaa 360 aaggtggcca ttaagatcct ggacaagacc aagttagacc agaaaaccca gaggctacta 420 tcccgagaaa tctccagcat ggaaaagctg caccatccca acatcatccg cctttacgaa 480 gtggtggaga ccctatccaa gctgcacttg gtgatggagt atgcaggggg tggggagctc 540 ttcggaaaaa ttagcactga ggggaagctc tctgaaccag aaagcaagct catcttctcc 600 cagattgtgt ctgccgtgaa gcacatgcat gaaaaccaaa ttattcatag agatctgaaa 660 gcagaaaatg tattctatac cagtaatact tgtgtgaagg tgggcgattt tggattcagc 720 acagtaagca aaaaaggtga aatgctgaac actttctgtg ggtctcctcc ctacgctgcg 780 cctgaactct tccgggacga gcactacatc ggcatttacg tggatatctg ggccttgggg 840 gtgcttttgt acttcatggt gactggcacc atgccatttc gggcagaaac cgtggccaaa 900 ctaaaaaaga gcatcctcga gggcacatac agtgtaccgc cgcacgtgtc agagccctgc 960 caccgactca tccgaggagt ccttcagcag atccccacgg agaggtacgg aatcgactgc 1020 atcatgaatg atgaatggat gcaaggggtg ccatacccta cacctttgga acctttccaa 1080 ctggatccca aacatttgtc ggaaaccagc actctcaagg aagaagaaaa tgaggtcaaa 1140 agcactttag aacatttggg cattacagaa gagcatattc gaaataacca agggagagat 1200 gctcgcagct caatcacagg ggtctataga attattttac atagagtcca aaggaagaag 1260 gctttggaaa gtgtcccagt catgatgcta ccagacccta aagaaagaga cctcaaaaaa 1320 gggtcccgtg tctacagagg gataagacac acatccaaat tttgctcgat tttataaatt 1380 gcactagact gcttgtaact aaccaagatg attgttgctg cttctaaatt tttttcaagg 1440 acaacttgag tggagacatt tttgtaattt ttaaataaac ttaaatttga gatatgcaaa 1500 aaaaaaa 1507 5 258 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 3317608H1 5 cagagatgag atcccgcagc agggacgtgg gggcctccca ggggcattta cgcaccagag 60 tgcaagattc tctggccatc aagggaaata gcaaacagaa gcctttgtcc tggggcacag 120 ccacctacca caaagcatca gactccacgt ctggccagaa agttcctgga gtcccatcag 180 gccagtgggt atgtaacatg tgcctaattg tacagctaga gcctgcaagt tcaacgtgag 240 ggaaggtggg aaatgtct 258 6 290 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 4313713H1 6 ggagtatgca gggggtgggg agctcttcgg aaaaattagt actgagggga agctctctga 60 accagaaagc aagctcatct tctcccagat tgtgtctgcc gtgaagcaca tgcatgaaaa 120 ccaaattatt catagagatc tgaaagcaga aaatgtttct ataccagtaa tacttgtgtg 180 aaggtgggcg attttggatt cagcacagta agcaaaaaag gtgaaatgct gaacatttct 240 gtgggtctcc tccctacgct gcgctgaact cttccgggga cgagcattac 290 7 256 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 4617082H1 7 agcaaaaaag gtgaaatgct gaacactttc tgtgggtctc ctccctacgc tgcgcctgaa 60 ctcttccggg acgagcacta catcggcatt tacgtggata tctgggcctt gggggtgctt 120 ttgtacttca tggtgactgg caccatgcca tttcgggcag aaaccgtggc caaactaaaa 180 aagagcatcc tcgngggcac atacagtgta ccgccgcacg tgtcagagcc ctgccaccga 240 ntcatccgag gagtct 256 8 250 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 4711644H1 8 ctcactaaag ccgagaggga ggctgctcag ctctcaggaa aactcttttg aaccctgggc 60 acctgctgtc ctcagttggc atctcccacc ctctgagcct cttctgctcc tgcacaacct 120 gcctcttcgc tgagatggag acgtgagccc ccgtggacga tgactgcagt gtatatgaat 180 ggaggtggcc tggtgaaccc ccactatgcc cggtgggatc ggcgcganag tgtagaaagt 240 ggctgtcaga 250 9 243 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 2286324H1 9 gaattatttt acatagagtc caaaggaaga aggctttgga aagtgtccca gtcatgatgc 60 taccagaccc taaagaaaga gacctcaaaa aagggtcccg tgtctacaga gggataagac 120 acacatccaa attttgctcg attttataaa ttgcactaga ctgcttgtaa ctaaccaaga 180 tgattgttgc tgcttctaaa tttttttcaa ggacaacttg agtggagaca tttttgtaat 240 ttt 243 10 232 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 2286816H1 10 gaattatttt acatagagtc caaaggaaga aggctttgga aagtgtccca gtcatgatgc 60 taccagaccc taaagaaaga gacctcaaaa aagggtcccg tgtctacaga gggataagac 120 acacatccaa attttgctcg attttataaa ttgcactaga ctgcttgtaa ctaaccaaga 180 tgattgttgc tgcttctaaa tttttttcaa ggacaacttg agtggagaca tt 232 11 88 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 2287217H1 11 caanagaaag aaacctcaaa aaagggtccc gtgtctacag agggataaga cacacatcca 60 aattttgctc gattttataa attgcact 88 12 270 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 2286816R6 12 gaattatttt acatagagtc caaaggaaga aggctttgga aagtgtccca gtcatgatgc 60 taccagaccc taaagnaaga gacctcaaaa aagggtcccg tgtctacaga gggataagac 120 acacatccaa attttgctcg attttataaa ttgcactaga ctgcttgtaa ctaaccaaga 180 tgattgttgc tgcttctaaa tttttttcaa ggacaacttg agtggagaca tttttgtaat 240 tttttaaata aacttaaatt tgagatatgc 270 13 230 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 2286816T6 13 tgtctccact caagttgtcc ttgaaaaaaa tttagaagca gcaacaatca tcttggttag 60 ttacaagcag tctagtgcaa tttataaaat cgagcaaaat ttggatgtgt gtcttatccc 120 tctgtagaca cgggaccctt ttttgaggtc tctttcttta gggtctggta gcatcatgac 180 tgggacactt tccaaagcct tcttcctttg gactctatgt aaaataattc 230 14 468 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 3317608T6 14 tctccactca agttgtcctt gaaaaaaatt tagaagcagc aacaatcatc ttggttagtt 60 acaagcagtc tagtgcaatt tataaaatcg agcaaaattt ggatgtgtgt cttatccctc 120 tgtagacacg ggaccctttt ttgaggtctc tttctttagg gtctggtagc atcatgactg 180 ggacactttc caaagccttc ttcctttgga ctctatgtaa aataattcta tagacccctg 240 tgattgagct gcgagcatct ctcccttggt tatttcgaat atgctcttct gtaatgccca 300 aatgttctaa agtgcttttg acctcatttt cttcttcctt gagagtgctg gtttccgaca 360 aatgtttggg atccagttgg aaagggtcca aangtgtaag gtatggcacc ccttgcatcc 420 attcatcatt catgatgcag tcgattccgt aactctccgt gggggatc 468 15 485 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 4201896T6 15 ttcactaatt acaaaaatgt ctccactcaa gttgtccttg acaaaaattt agaagcagca 60 acaatcatct tggttagtta caagcagtct agtgcaattt ataaaatcga gcaaaatttg 120 gatgtgtgtc ttatccctct gtagacacgg gacccttttt tgaggtctct ttctttaggg 180 tctggtagca tcatgactgg gacactttcc aaagccttct tcctttggac tctatgtaaa 240 ataattctat agacccctgt gattgagctg cgagcatctc tcccttggtt atttcgaata 300 tgctcttctg taatgcccaa atgttctaaa gtgcttttga cctcattttc ttcttccttg 360 agagtgctgg tttccgacca atgtttggga tccagttgga aaggttccaa aggtgtaggg 420 tatggcaccc cttgcctcca ttcatcattc ctgatgccgt cgattccgta cctctccgtg 480 gggat 485 16 423 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 4624811T6 16 aaatgtctcc actcaagttg tccttgaaaa aaatttagaa gcagcaacaa tcatcttggt 60 tagttacaag cagtctagtg caatttataa aatcgagcaa aatttggatg tgtgtcttat 120 ccctctgtag acacgggacc cttttttgag gtctctttct ttagggtctg gtagcatcat 180 gactgggaca ctttccaaag ccttcttcct ttggactcta tgtaaaataa ttctatagac 240 ccctgtgatt gagctgcgag catctctccc ttggttattt cgaatatgct cttctgtaat 300 gcccaaatgt tctaaagtgc ttttgacctc attttcttct tccttgagag tgctggtttc 360 cgacaaatgt ttgggatcca gttggaaagg ttccaaaggt gtagggtatg gcaccccttg 420 cat 423 17 564 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 6559834H1 17 attgaggccg cgggaatcca aaagggaaac aaacgaaacc agatgaaaaa aagtgattcc 60 aagtcaagat ttcaaatgga aatctaagaa aaggtggcca ttaagatcct ggacaagacc 120 aagttagacc agaaaaccca gaggctacta tcccgagaaa tctccagcat ggaaaagctg 180 caccatccca acatcatccg cctttacgaa gtggtggaga ccctatccaa gctgcacttg 240 gtgatggagt atgcaggggg tggggagctc ttcggaaaaa ttagcactga ggggaagctc 300 tctgaaccag aaagcaagct catcttctcc cagattgtgt ctgccgtgaa gcacatgcat 360 gaaaaccaaa ttattcatag agatctgaaa gcagaaaatg tattctatac cagtaatact 420 tgtgtgaagg tgggcgattt tggattcagc acagtaagca aaaaaggtga aatgctgaac 480 actttctgtg ggtctcctcc ctacgctgcg cctgaactct tccgggacga gcactacatc 540 ggcatttacg tggatatctg ggcc 564 18 598 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 670279F1 18 gcatatctca aatttaagtt tatttaaaaa ttacaaaaat gtctccactc aagttgtcct 60 tgaaaaaaat ttagaagcag caacaatcat cttggttagt tacaagcagt ctagtgcaat 120 ttataaaatc gagcaaaatt tggatgtgtg tcttatccct ctgtagacac gggacccttt 180 tttgaggtct ctttctttag ggtctggtag catcatgact gggacanttt ccaaagcctt 240 cttcctttgg actctatgta aaataattct atagacccct gtgattgagc tgcgagcatc 300 tctcccttgg ttatttcgaa tatgctcttc tgtaatgccc aaatgttcta aagtgctttt 360 gacctcattt tcttcttcct tgagagtgct ggtttccgac aaatgtttgg gatccagttg 420 gaaaggttcc aaaggtgtag ggtatggcac cccttgcatc cattcatcat tcatgatgca 480 gtcgattccg tacctctccg tggggatctg ctgaaggact cctcggatga gtcggtggca 540 gggctctgac acgtgcggcg gtacactgta tgtgccctcg aggatgctct tttttagt 598 19 288 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 670279H1 19 gctgcaccat cccaacatna tccgccttta cgaagtggtg gagaccctat ccaagctgca 60 cttggtgatg gagtatgcag ggggtgggga gctcttcgga aaaattagca ctgaggggaa 120 gctctctgaa ccagaaagca agctcatctt ctnccagatt gtgtctgccg tgaagcacat 180 gcatgaaaac caaattattc atagagatct gaaagcagaa aatgtattct ataccagtaa 240 tacttgtgtg aaggtgggcg attttggntt cagcacagta agcaaaaa 288 20 546 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 670279R1 20 gctgcaccat cccaacatca tccgccttta cgagtggtgg agaccctatc caagctgcac 60 ttggtgatgg agtatgcagg gggtggggag ctcttcggaa aaattagcac tgaggggaag 120 ctctctgaac cagaaagcaa gctcatcttc tcccagattg tgtctgccgt gaagcacatg 180 catgaaaacc aaattattca tagagatctg aaagcagaaa atgtattcta taccagtaat 240 acttgtgtga aggtgggcga ttttggattc agcacagtaa gcaaaaaagg tgaaatgctg 300 aacactttct gtgggtctcc tccctacgct gcgcctgaac tcttccggga cgagcactac 360 atcggcattt acgtggatat ctgggccttg ggggtgcttt tgtacttcat ggtgactggc 420 accatgccat ttcgggcaga aaccgtggcc aaactaaaaa agagcatcct cgagggcaca 480 tacagtgtac cgccgcacgt gtcagagccc tgccaccgac tcatccgagg agtncttcag 540 cagatc 546 21 383 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 670279R6 21 gctgcaccat cccaacatca tccgccttta cgaatggtgg agaccctatc caagctgcac 60 ttggtgatgg agtatgcagg nggtggggag ctcttcggaa aaattagcac tgaggggaag 120 ctctctgaac cagaaagcaa gctcatnttc tcccagattg tgtctgccgt gaagcacatg 180 catgaaaacc aaattattca tagagatctg aaagcagaaa atgtattcta taccagtaat 240 acttgtgtga aggtgggcga ttttggattc agcacagtaa gcaaaaaagg tgaaatgctg 300 aacactttct gtgggtctcc tccctacgct gcgcctgaac tcttccggga cgagcactac 360 atcgggcatt tacgtgggat atc 383 22 537 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 670279T6 22 aatgtctcca ctcaagttgt ccttgaaaaa aatttagaag cagcaacaat catcttggtt 60 agttacaagc agtctagtgc aatttataaa atcgagcaaa atttggatgt gtgtcttatc 120 cctctgtaga cacgggaccc ttttttgagg tctctttctt tagggtctgg tagcatcatg 180 actgggacac tttccaaagc cttcttcctt tggactctat gtaaaataat tctatagacc 240 cctgtgattg agctgcgagc atctctccct tggttatttc gaatatgctc ttctgtaatg 300 cccaaatgtt ctaaagtgct tttgacctca ttttcttctt ccttgagagt gctggtttcc 360 gacaaatgtt tgggatccag ttggaaaggt tccaaaggtg tagggtatgg caccccttgc 420 atccattcat cattcatgat gcagtcgatt ccgtacctct ccgtggggat ctgctgaagg 480 actcctcgga tgagtcggtg gcanggcctg acacgtgcgg cggtacactg tatgtgc 537 23 279 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Incyte Clone No 4936446H1 23 gcatcatgaa tgatgaatgg atgcaagggg tgccataccc tacacctttg gaacctttcc 60 aactggatcc caaacatttg tcgnaaacca gcactctcaa ggaagaagaa aatgaggtca 120 aaagcacttt agaacatttg ggcattacag aagagcatat tcgaaataac caagggagag 180 atgctcgcag ctcaatcaca ggggtctata gaattatttt acatagagtc caaaggaaga 240 aggctttgga aagtgtccca gtcatgatgc taccagacc 279 24 488 DNA Rattus norvegicus misc_feature Incyte Template No 216150.1 24 aaaagttgca ccatcccaac attgtccgtc tttatgaagt cgtggagacc ctgtccaagc 60 tccacctagt gatggagtat gcaggaggtg gggagctctt tgggaaaatt agcaccgagg 120 ggaaactttc tgaaccggaa agcaagctca tcttctccca gatcgtgtct gccgtgaagc 180 aacggcatga gaaccaaatt atccacagag atctgaaagc agaaaacgtc ttctatacca 240 gtagcacttg tgtgaaggtg ggggattttg gattcagcac cgtaagtaag aaaggtgaga 300 tgctgaacac cttctgtggg tctccgccct acgctgcacc ggaactcttc cgtgacgagc 360 actatgttgg cgtttatgtg gatatctggg ccttgggtgt ccttttgtac ttcatggtga 420 ctggtacgat gccatttcga gcagaaaccg tggccaaact gaaaaagagc atcctcgatg 480 gtgcctac 488 25 272 DNA Rattus norvegicus misc_feature Incyte Clone No 701925441H1 25 agccgcgcca gctgacacct ttcgagaaac tgactcagga catgtgccaa gatgagaagg 60 tggtgaggga gatcacgctg gggaaacgca taggcttcta tcgaattcga ggggagatcg 120 gaagcggaaa cttttcccag gtcaagctgg gaattcactc cctaaccaaa gaaaaggtgg 180 ccattaagat tctggacaaa accaagttag accagaaaac ccaaaggctg ttatccagag 240 aaatttccag cagccggaaa tgcaccatcc ca 272 26 303 DNA Rattus norvegicus misc_feature Incyte Clone No 701910632H1 26 aagttgcacc atcccaacat tgtccgtctt tatgaagtcg tggagaccct gtccaagctc 60 cacctagtga tggagtatgc aggaggtggg gagctctttg ggaaaattag caccgagggg 120 aaactttctg aaccggaaag caagctcatc ttctcccaga tcgtgtctgc cgtgaagcaa 180 atnccatgan aaccaaatta tccacagaga tctgaaagca gaaaacgtct tctataccag 240 tagcacttgt gtgaaggtgg gggattttgg attcagcacc gtaagtnaga naggtgagat 300 gct 303 27 299 DNA Rattus norvegicus misc_feature Incyte Clone No 701905514H1 27 ganaaccaaa ttatccacag agatctgana gcagaaaacg tcttctatac cagtagcact 60 tgtgtgaagg tgggggattt tggattcagc accgtaagta agaaaggtga gatgctgaac 120 accttctgtg ggtctccgcc ctacgctgca ccggaactct tccgtgacga gcactatgtt 180 ggcgtttatg tggatatctg ggcctgggtg tccttttgta cttcatggtg actggtacga 240 tgccattcga gcagaaaccg tggccaaact gaaaaagagc atcctcgagg gtgcctaca 299 28 258 DNA Rattus norvegicus misc_feature Incyte Clone No 701293826H1 28 aatggatgcg aggggtgccg tacccctccc ctctggaacc tttccaactg gatcctaaac 60 atttgtcgga aactagcacc ctcaaagaag aagaaaacga ggtgaaaagc actttagagc 120 acttggggat cacagacgaa catatccgga ataaccaagg gagagacgct cgaagctcta 180 tcacgggggt ctatagaatc attttacatc gagtgcaaag aagaaaagcc tggaaagtgt 240 gccaatggcg acactacc 258 29 113 DNA Rattus norvegicus misc_feature Incyte Clone No 700949543H1 29 tacctggcag gcgtaccagc tttccctata agtggagtcg tattaggagc ttgggcgtan 60 atccatgggt ccataggctg ttttcctgtg tggaaattgt tnatcncgct cca 113 30 300 DNA Macaca fascicularis misc_feature Incyte Clone No 700706950H1 30 gaagtcgtgg agaccctatc taagctgcac ttggtgatgg aatatgcagg gggtggggag 60 ctgttcggaa aaattagcac tgaggggaag ctctctgaac cagaaagcaa gctcatcttc 120 tcccagattg tgtctgccgt gaagcactgc atgaaaccaa ttattcacga gtctgaagca 180 gaaatgtatc natacagtat actgtgtgaa gtggcgattt ggatcancag taattaaaaa 240 gtgaatnnaa cnttnngtgg ctctccatnt gacgaccttc ggcgncntan cgnatncgtg 300 31 334 PRT Caenorhabditis elegans misc_feature GenBank Accession No g3877329 31 Met Ser Glu Lys Thr Gln Tyr Glu Arg Ala Ile Leu Gln Leu Asn 1 5 10 15 Asn Asp Pro Val Val His Lys Glu Val Trp Ala Cys Ile Val Ser 20 25 30 Tyr Gly Lys Arg Lys Leu Trp Phe Gln Val Ala Leu Gly Arg Arg 35 40 45 Ile Gly Phe Tyr Arg Leu Gly Lys Glu Leu Gly Ala Gly Asn Phe 50 55 60 Ser Lys Val Lys Leu Gly Val His Gln Leu Thr Lys Glu Lys Val 65 70 75 Ala Val Lys Ile Met Asp Lys Ala Lys Met Asp Ala Lys Ala Gln 80 85 90 Lys Leu Leu Ser Arg Glu Ile Gln Ala Met Glu Glu Met Asn His 95 100 105 Pro Asn Ile Val Lys Leu Phe Glu Val Val Glu Thr Leu Thr Arg 110 115 120 Val His Leu Val Ile Glu Tyr Ala Ser Gly Gly Glu Leu Tyr Thr 125 130 135 Tyr Val His Glu Arg Gly Lys Leu Thr Glu Gly Asp Ala Lys Pro 140 145 150 Leu Phe Ala Gln Ile Val Ser Ala Val Ser His Met His Ser Arg 155 160 165 Asn Ile Val His Arg Asp Ile Lys Ala Glu Asn Val Met Phe Ser 170 175 180 Ser Pro Asn Thr Val Lys Leu Val Asp Phe Gly Phe Ser Cys Leu 185 190 195 Val Asp Arg Glu Gln Met Leu Arg Thr Phe Cys Gly Ser Pro Pro 200 205 210 Tyr Ala Ala Pro Glu Leu Phe Gln Asp Thr Ser Tyr Ala Gly Glu 215 220 225 Leu Val Asp Val Trp Ala Leu Gly Val Leu Leu Phe Phe Met Leu 230 235 240 Ile Gly Val Thr Pro Phe Lys Ala Glu Thr Val Pro Asp Met Lys 245 250 255 Val Leu Ile Thr Ala Gly Lys Tyr Gln Ile Pro Asp Tyr Val Ser 260 265 270 Leu Leu Ala Thr Glu Leu Ile Lys Ser Met Leu Lys Thr Asp Thr 275 280 285 Gly Gln Arg Ala Asp Ile Asp Ser Val Lys Lys His Phe Trp Met 290 295 300 Arg Asp Cys Arg Phe Thr Lys Ser Tyr Leu Ser Ile Lys Ala Thr 305 310 315 Ala Lys Ile Asp Asn Glu Glu Glu Lys Lys Ala Ile Asp Asp Lys 320 325 330 Val Ile Phe Val 32 793 PRT Rattus norvegicus misc_feature GenBank Accession No g2052189 32 Met Ser Ala Arg Thr Pro Leu Pro Thr Val Asn Glu Arg Asp Thr 1 5 10 15 Glu Asn His Thr Ser Val Asp Gly Tyr Thr Glu Thr His Ile Pro 20 25 30 Pro Thr Lys Ser Ser Ser Arg Gln Asn Ile Pro Arg Cys Arg Asn 35 40 45 Ser Ile Thr Ser Ala Thr Asp Glu Gln Pro His Ile Gly Asn Tyr 50 55 60 Arg Leu Gln Lys Thr Ile Gly Lys Gly Asn Phe Ala Lys Val Lys 65 70 75 Leu Ala Arg His Val Leu Thr Gly Arg Glu Val Ala Val Lys Ile 80 85 90 Ile Asp Lys Thr Gln Leu Asn Pro Thr Ser Leu Gln Lys Leu Phe 95 100 105 Arg Glu Val Arg Ile Met Lys Ile Leu Asn His Pro Asn Ile Val 110 115 120 Lys Leu Phe Glu Val Ile Glu Thr Glu Lys Thr Leu Tyr Leu Val 125 130 135 Met Glu Tyr Ala Ser Gly Gly Glu Val Phe Asp Tyr Leu Val Ala 140 145 150 His Gly Arg Met Lys Glu Lys Glu Ala Arg Ala Lys Phe Arg Gln 155 160 165 Ile Val Ser Ala Val Gln Tyr Cys His Gln Lys Cys Ile Val His 170 175 180 Arg Asp Leu Lys Ala Glu Asn Leu Leu Leu Asp Ala Asp Met Asn 185 190 195 Ile Lys Ile Ala Asp Phe Gly Phe Ser Asn Glu Phe Thr Val Gly 200 205 210 Asn Lys Leu Asp Thr Phe Cys Gly Ser Pro Pro Tyr Ala Ala Pro 215 220 225 Glu Leu Phe Gln Gly Lys Lys Tyr Asp Gly Pro Glu Val Asp Val 230 235 240 Trp Ser Leu Gly Val Ile Leu Tyr Thr Leu Val Ser Gly Ser Leu 245 250 255 Pro Phe Asp Gly Gln Asn Leu Lys Glu Leu Arg Glu Arg Val Leu 260 265 270 Arg Gly Lys Tyr Arg Val Pro Phe Tyr Met Ser Thr Asp Cys Glu 275 280 285 Asn Leu Leu Lys Lys Leu Leu Val Leu Asn Pro Ile Lys Arg Gly 290 295 300 Ser Leu Glu Gln Ile Met Lys Asp Arg Trp Met Asn Val Gly His 305 310 315 Glu Glu Glu Glu Leu Lys Pro Tyr Ser Glu Pro Glu Leu Asp Leu 320 325 330 Asn Asp Ala Lys Arg Ile Asp Ile Met Val Thr Met Gly Phe Ala 335 340 345 Arg Asp Glu Ile Asn Asp Ala Leu Val Ser Gln Lys Tyr Asp Glu 350 355 360 Val Met Ala Thr Tyr Ile Leu Leu Gly Arg Lys Pro Pro Glu Phe 365 370 375 Glu Gly Gly Glu Ser Leu Ser Ser Gly Asn Leu Cys Gln Arg Ser 380 385 390 Arg Pro Ser Ser Asp Leu Asn Asn Ser Thr Leu Gln Ser Pro Ala 395 400 405 His Leu Lys Val Gln Arg Ser Ile Ser Ala Asn Gln Lys Gln Arg 410 415 420 Arg Phe Ser Asp His Ala Gly Pro Ser Ile Pro Pro Ala Val Ser 425 430 435 Tyr Thr Lys Arg Pro Gln Ala Asn Ser Val Glu Ser Glu Gln Lys 440 445 450 Glu Glu Trp Asp Lys Asp Thr Ala Arg Arg Leu Gly Ser Thr Thr 455 460 465 Val Gly Ser Lys Ser Glu Val Thr Ala Ser Pro Leu Val Gly Pro 470 475 480 Asp Arg Lys Lys Ser Ser Ala Gly Pro Ser Asn Asn Val Tyr Ser 485 490 495 Gly Gly Ser Met Thr Arg Arg Asn Thr Tyr Val Cys Glu Arg Ser 500 505 510 Thr Asp Arg Tyr Ala Ala Leu Gln Asn Gly Arg Asp Ser Ser Leu 515 520 525 Thr Glu Met Ser Ala Ser Ser Met Ser Ser Thr Gly Ser Thr Val 530 535 540 Ala Ser Ala Gly Pro Ser Ala Arg Pro Arg His Gln Lys Ser Met 545 550 555 Ser Thr Ser Gly His Pro Ile Lys Val Thr Leu Pro Thr Ile Lys 560 565 570 Asp Gly Ser Glu Ala Tyr Arg Pro Gly Thr Ala Gln Arg Val Pro 575 580 585 Ala Ala Ser Pro Ser Ala His Ser Ile Ser Ala Ser Thr Pro Asp 590 595 600 Arg Thr Arg Phe Pro Arg Gly Ser Ser Ser Arg Ser Thr Phe His 605 610 615 Gly Glu Gln Leu Arg Glu Arg Arg Ser Ala Ala Tyr Ser Gly Pro 620 625 630 Pro Ala Ser Pro Ser His Asp Thr Ala Ala Leu Ala His Ala Arg 635 640 645 Arg Gly Thr Ser Thr Gly Ile Ile Ser Lys Ile Thr Ser Lys Phe 650 655 660 Val Arg Arg Asp Pro Ser Glu Gly Glu Ala Ser Gly Arg Thr Asp 665 670 675 Thr Ala Arg Gly Ser Ser Gly Glu Pro Lys Asp Lys Glu Glu Gly 680 685 690 Lys Glu Ala Lys Pro Arg Ser Leu Arg Phe Thr Trp Ser Met Lys 695 700 705 Thr Thr Ser Ser Met Asp Pro Asn Asp Met Val Arg Glu Ile Arg 710 715 720 Lys Val Leu Asp Ala Asn Thr Cys Asp Tyr Glu Gln Arg Glu Arg 725 730 735 Phe Leu Leu Phe Cys Val His Gly Asp Ala Arg Gln Asp Ser Leu 740 745 750 Val Gln Trp Glu Met Glu Val Cys Lys Leu Pro Arg Leu Ser Leu 755 760 765 Asn Gly Val Arg Phe Lys Arg Ile Ser Gly Thr Ser Ile Ala Phe 770 775 780 Lys Asn Ile Ala Ser Lys Ile Ala Asn Glu Leu Lys Leu 785 790 33 729 PRT Homo sapiens misc_feature GenBank Accession No g3089349 33 Met Ser Thr Arg Thr Pro Leu Pro Thr Val Asn Glu Arg Asp Thr 1 5 10 15 Glu Asn His Thr Ser His Gly Asp Gly Arg Gln Glu Val Thr Ser 20 25 30 Arg Thr Ser Arg Ser Gly Ala Arg Cys Arg Asn Ser Ile Ala Ser 35 40 45 Cys Ala Asp Glu Gln Pro His Ile Gly Asn Tyr Arg Leu Leu Lys 50 55 60 Thr Ile Gly Lys Gly Asn Phe Ala Lys Val Lys Leu Ala Arg His 65 70 75 Ile Leu Thr Gly Arg Glu Val Ala Ile Lys Ile Ile Asp Lys Thr 80 85 90 Gln Leu Asn Pro Thr Ser Leu Gln Lys Leu Phe Arg Glu Val Arg 95 100 105 Ile Met Lys Ile Leu Asn His Pro Asn Ile Val Lys Leu Phe Glu 110 115 120 Val Ile Glu Thr Glu Lys Thr Leu Tyr Leu Ile Met Glu Tyr Ala 125 130 135 Ser Gly Gly Glu Val Phe Asp Tyr Leu Val Ala His Gly Arg Met 140 145 150 Lys Glu Lys Glu Ala Arg Ser Lys Phe Arg Gln Ile Val Ser Ala 155 160 165 Val Gln Tyr Cys His Gln Lys Arg Ile Val His Arg Asp Leu Lys 170 175 180 Ala Glu Asn Leu Leu Leu Asp Ala Asp Met Asn Ile Lys Ile Ala 185 190 195 Asp Phe Gly Phe Ser Asn Glu Phe Thr Val Gly Gly Lys Leu Asp 200 205 210 Thr Phe Cys Gly Ser Pro Pro Tyr Ala Ala Pro Glu Leu Phe Gln 215 220 225 Gly Lys Lys Tyr Asp Gly Pro Glu Val Asp Val Trp Ser Leu Gly 230 235 240 Val Ile Leu Tyr Thr Leu Val Ser Gly Ser Leu Pro Phe Asp Gly 245 250 255 Gln Asn Leu Lys Glu Leu Arg Glu Arg Val Leu Arg Gly Lys Tyr 260 265 270 Arg Ile Pro Phe Tyr Met Ser Thr Asp Cys Glu Asn Leu Leu Lys 275 280 285 Arg Phe Leu Val Leu Asn Pro Ile Lys Arg Gly Thr Leu Glu Gln 290 295 300 Ile Met Lys Asp Arg Trp Ile Asn Ala Gly His Glu Glu Asp Glu 305 310 315 Leu Lys Pro Phe Val Glu Pro Glu Leu Asp Ile Ser Asp Gln Lys 320 325 330 Arg Ile Asp Ile Met Val Gly Met Gly Tyr Ser Gln Glu Glu Ile 335 340 345 Gln Glu Ser Leu Ser Lys Met Lys Tyr Asp Glu Ile Thr Ala Thr 350 355 360 Tyr Leu Leu Leu Gly Arg Lys Ser Ser Glu Leu Asp Ala Ser Asp 365 370 375 Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Asn Leu Ser Leu Ala Lys Val Arg Pro Ser 380 385 390 Ser Asp Leu Asn Asn Ser Thr Gly Gln Ser Pro His His Lys Val 395 400 405 Gln Arg Ser Val Ser Ser Ser Gln Lys Gln Arg Arg Tyr Ser Asp 410 415 420 His Ala Gly Pro Ala Ile Pro Ser Val Val Ala Tyr Pro Lys Arg 425 430 435 Ser Gln Thr Ser Thr Ala Asp Gly Asp Leu Lys Glu Asp Gly Ile 440 445 450 Ser Ser Arg Lys Ser Ser Gly Ser Ala Val Gly Gly Lys Gly Ile 455 460 465 Ala Pro Ala Ser Pro Met Leu Gly Asn Ala Ser Asn Pro Asn Lys 470 475 480 Ala Asp Ile Pro Glu Arg Lys Lys Ser Ser Thr Val Pro Ser Ser 485 490 495 Asn Thr Ala Ser Gly Gly Met Thr Arg Arg Asn Thr Tyr Val Cys 500 505 510 Ser Glu Arg Thr Thr Ala Asp Arg His Ser Val Ile Gln Asn Gly 515 520 525 Lys Glu Asn Ser Thr Ile Pro Asp Gln Arg Thr Pro Val Ala Ser 530 535 540 Thr His Ser Ile Ser Ser Ala Ala Thr Pro Asp Arg Ile Arg Phe 545 550 555 Pro Arg Gly Thr Ala Ser Arg Ser Thr Phe His Gly Gln Pro Arg 560 565 570 Glu Arg Arg Thr Ala Thr Tyr Asn Gly Pro Pro Ala Ser Pro Ser 575 580 585 Leu Ser His Glu Ala Thr Pro Leu Ser Gln Thr Arg Ser Arg Gly 590 595 600 Ser Thr Asn Leu Phe Ser Lys Leu Thr Ser Lys Leu Thr Arg Ser 605 610 615 Arg Asn Val Ser Ala Glu Gln Lys Asp Glu Asn Lys Glu Ala Lys 620 625 630 Pro Arg Ser Leu Arg Phe Thr Trp Ser Met Lys Thr Thr Ser Ser 635 640 645 Met Asp Pro Gly Asp Met Met Arg Glu Ile Arg Lys Val Leu Asp 650 655 660 Ala Asn Asn Cys Asp Tyr Glu Gln Arg Glu Arg Phe Leu Leu Phe 665 670 675 Cys Val His Gly Asp Gly His Ala Glu Asn Leu Val Gln Trp Glu 680 685 690 Met Glu Val Cys Lys Leu Pro Arg Leu Ser Leu Asn Gly Val Arg 695 700 705 Phe Lys Arg Ile Ser Gly Thr Ser Ile Ala Phe Lys Asn Ile Ala 710 715 720 Ser Lys Ile Ala Asn Glu Leu Lys Leu 725 34 776 PRT Rattus norvegicus misc_feature GenBank Accession No g5672676 34 Met Val Ile Met Ser Glu Phe Ser Ala Val Pro Thr Gly Thr Gly 1 5 10 15 Gln Gly Gln Gln Lys Pro Leu Arg Val Gly Phe Tyr Asp Val Glu 20 25 30 Arg Thr Leu Gly Lys Gly Asn Phe Ala Val Val Lys Leu Ala Arg 35 40 45 His Arg Val Thr Lys Thr Gln Val Ala Ile Lys Ile Ile Asp Lys 50 55 60 Thr Arg Leu Asp Ser Ser Asn Leu Glu Lys Ile Tyr Arg Glu Val 65 70 75 Gln Leu Met Lys Leu Leu Asn His Pro Asn Ile Ile Lys Leu Tyr 80 85 90 Gln Val Met Glu Thr Lys Asp Met Leu Tyr Ile Val Thr Glu Phe 95 100 105 Ala Lys Asn Gly Glu Met Phe Asp Tyr Leu Thr Ser Asn Gly His 110 115 120 Leu Ser Glu Asn Glu Ala Arg Lys Lys Phe Trp Gln Ile Leu Ser 125 130 135 Ala Val Glu Tyr Cys His Asn His His Ile Val His Arg Asp Leu 140 145 150 Lys Thr Glu Asn Leu Leu Leu Asp Gly Asn Met Asp Ile Lys Leu 155 160 165 Ala Asp Phe Gly Phe Gly Asn Phe Tyr Lys Pro Gly Glu Pro Leu 170 175 180 Ser Thr Trp Cys Gly Ser Pro Pro Tyr Ala Ala Pro Glu Val Phe 185 190 195 Glu Gly Lys Glu Tyr Glu Gly Pro Gln Leu Asp Ile Trp Ser Leu 200 205 210 Gly Val Val Leu Tyr Val Leu Val Cys Gly Ser Leu Pro Phe Asp 215 220 225 Gly Pro Asn Leu Pro Thr Leu Arg Gln Arg Val Leu Glu Gly Arg 230 235 240 Phe Arg Ile Pro Phe Phe Met Ser Gln Asp Cys Glu Thr Leu Ile 245 250 255 Arg Arg Met Leu Val Val Asp Pro Ala Lys Arg Ile Thr Ile Ala 260 265 270 Gln Ile Arg Gln His Arg Trp Met Gln Ala Asp Pro Thr Leu Leu 275 280 285 Gln Gln Asp Asp Pro Ala Phe Ser Met Gln Gly Tyr Thr Ser Asn 290 295 300 Leu Gly Asp Tyr Asn Glu Gln Val Leu Gly Ile Met Gln Ala Leu 305 310 315 Gly Ile Asp Arg Gln Arg Thr Val Glu Ser Leu Gln Asn Ser Ser 320 325 330 Tyr Asn His Phe Ala Ala Ile Tyr Tyr Leu Leu Leu Glu Arg Leu 335 340 345 Arg Glu His Arg Ser Thr Gln Pro Ser Ser Arg Ala Thr Pro Ala 350 355 360 Pro Ala Arg Gln Pro Gln Leu Arg Asn Ser Asp Leu Ser Ser Leu 365 370 375 Glu Val Pro Gln Glu Ile Leu Pro Cys Asp Pro Phe Arg Pro Ser 380 385 390 Leu Leu Cys Pro Gln Pro Gln Ala Leu Ala Gln Ser Val Leu Gln 395 400 405 Ala Glu Ile Asp Cys Asp Leu His Ser Ser Leu Gln Pro Leu Phe 410 415 420 Phe Pro Leu Asp Thr Asn Cys Ser Gly Val Phe Arg His Arg Ser 425 430 435 Ile Ser Pro Ser Ser Leu Leu Asp Thr Ala Ile Ser Glu Glu Ala 440 445 450 Arg Gln Gly Pro Ser Leu Glu Glu Glu Gln Glu Val Gln Glu Pro 455 460 465 Leu Pro Gly Ser Thr Gly Arg Arg His Thr Leu Ala Glu Val Ser 470 475 480 Thr His Phe Ser Pro Leu Asn Pro Pro Cys Ile Ile Val Ser Ser 485 490 495 Ser Ala Ala Val Ser Pro Ser Glu Gly Thr Ser Ser Asp Ser Cys 500 505 510 Leu Pro Phe Ser Ala Ser Glu Gly Pro Ala Gly Leu Gly Gly Gly 515 520 525 Leu Ala Thr Pro Gly Leu Leu Gly Thr Ser Ser Pro Val Arg Leu 530 535 540 Ala Ser Pro Phe Leu Gly Ser Gln Ser Ala Thr Pro Val Leu Gln 545 550 555 Ser Gln Ala Gly Leu Gly Ala Thr Val Leu Pro Pro Val Ser Phe 560 565 570 Gln Glu Gly Arg Arg Ala Ser Asp Thr Ser Leu Thr Gln Gly Leu 575 580 585 Lys Ala Phe Arg Gln Gln Leu Arg Lys Asn Ala Arg Thr Lys Gly 590 595 600 Phe Leu Gly Leu Asn Lys Ile Lys Gly Leu Ala Arg Gln Val Cys 605 610 615 Gln Ser Ser Ile Arg Gly Ser Arg Gly Gly Met Ser Thr Phe His 620 625 630 Thr Pro Ala Pro Ser Ser Gly Leu Gln Gly Cys Thr Ala Ser Ser 635 640 645 Arg Glu Gly Arg Ser Leu Leu Glu Glu Val Leu His Gln Gln Arg 650 655 660 Leu Leu Gln Leu Gln His His Ser Ala Val Ser Ser Asp Tyr Gln 665 670 675 Gln Ala Pro Gln Leu Ser Pro Val Pro Tyr Val Leu Thr Pro Cys 680 685 690 Asp Gly Leu Leu Val Ser Gly Ile Pro Leu Leu Pro Thr Pro Leu 695 700 705 Leu Gln Pro Gly Met Ser Pro Val Ala Ser Ala Ala Gln Leu Leu 710 715 720 Asp Ala His Leu His Ile Ser Ala Gly Pro Val Ala Leu Pro Thr 725 730 735 Gly Pro Leu Pro Gln Cys Leu Thr Arg Leu Ser Pro Ser Cys Asp 740 745 750 Pro Ala Gly Leu Pro Gln Gly Asp Cys Glu Met Glu Asp Leu Thr 755 760 765 Ser Gly Gln Arg Gly Thr Phe Val Leu Val Gln 770 775 35 604 PRT Drosophila melanogaster misc_feature GenBank Accession No g2564680 35 Met Thr Ala Ala Asn Thr Asn Lys Thr Thr Asp Lys Glu Asn Asp 1 5 10 15 Pro Gly Pro Asn Thr Ser Ile Ser Thr Thr Ala Thr Pro Pro Ser 20 25 30 Ala Ala Ala Gln Asn Val Gly Gly Cys Val Gly Ser Ser Gly Gly 35 40 45 Arg Ser Ser Pro Lys Phe Xaa Ser Tyr Val Asn Gly Asn Gly Tyr 50 55 60 Gly Val Tyr Lys Ile Ile Lys Thr Leu Gly Lys Gly Asn Phe Ala 65 70 75 Lys Val Lys Leu Ala Ile His Leu Pro Thr Gly Arg Glu Val Ala 80 85 90 Ile Lys Leu Ile Asp Lys Thr Ala Leu Asn Thr Ile Ala Arg Gln 95 100 105 Lys Leu Tyr Arg Glu Val Asn Ile Met Lys Lys Leu Asn His Pro 110 115 120 Asn Ile Val Arg Leu Leu Gln Val Ile Glu Ser Glu Arg Thr Leu 125 130 135 Tyr Leu Val Met Glu Tyr Val Ser Gly Gly Glu Leu Phe Asn Tyr 140 145 150 Leu Val Lys Asn Gly Arg Met Arg Glu Arg Asp Ala Arg Val Leu 155 160 165 Phe Arg Gln Leu Val Ser Ala Ile Glu Tyr Cys His Ser Lys Ser 170 175 180 Ile Val His Arg Asp Leu Lys Ala Glu Asn Leu Leu Leu Asp Gln 185 190 195 Gln Met Lys Leu Lys Ile Ala Asp Phe Gly Phe Ser Thr Thr Phe 200 205 210 Glu Pro Lys Ala Pro Leu Glu Thr Phe Cys Gly Ser Pro Pro Tyr 215 220 225 Ala Ala Pro Glu Leu Phe Lys Gly Lys Lys Tyr Ser Gly Pro Glu 230 235 240 Val Asp Ser Trp Ser Leu Gly Val Val Leu Tyr Thr Leu Val Ser 245 250 255 Gly Ser Leu Pro Phe Asp Gly Thr Asn Leu Lys Glu Leu Arg Asp 260 265 270 Arg Val Leu Arg Gly Lys Tyr Arg Val Pro Tyr Tyr Val Ser Ile 275 280 285 Glu Cys Glu Ser Leu Xaa Arg Lys Phe Leu Val Leu Asn Pro Thr 290 295 300 Gln Arg Thr Ser Leu Ser Ala Val Met Ala Asp Arg Trp Ile Asn 305 310 315 Met Gly Tyr Glu Gln Gly Asn Gly Leu Arg Pro Phe Gln Glu Lys 320 325 330 Pro Met Asp Leu His Asp Val Asn Arg Leu Ser Leu Leu Ser Asn 335 340 345 Met Gly His Lys Pro Arg Asp Val Xaa Gln Ser Leu Lys Asn Gln 350 355 360 Lys Phe Asp Asp Ile Tyr Cys Ala Tyr Met Leu Leu Asp Val Ala 365 370 375 Lys Pro Arg Ser Thr Ala Cys Ser Glu Lys Ser Gly Ser Ser Phe 380 385 390 Arg Glu Thr Pro Thr Ala Met Pro Gly Ser Ser Arg Ile Pro Val 395 400 405 Pro Ile Ala Ala Pro Asn Val Thr Ile Ser Gln Val Thr Phe Ala 410 415 420 Leu Asp Lys Ser Thr Pro Asn Arg Pro Gly Ala Thr Ser Ile Arg 425 430 435 Pro Met Ala Pro Arg Leu Ala Asn Ala Leu Thr Pro Leu Pro Leu 440 445 450 Thr Pro Pro Pro Lys Lys Tyr Ile Cys Cys Ser Ala Ser Lys Ala 455 460 465 Ala Asn Pro Arg Arg Ser Glu Pro Ser Ser Ile Pro Gln Ser Ala 470 475 480 Met Pro Lys Lys Gly Val Gly Ser Pro Val Asp Val Lys Thr Thr 485 490 495 Leu Leu Ser Ala Gln Arg Lys Leu Ala Val Asn His Lys Leu Thr 500 505 510 Ser Ala Ser His Gln Ile Arg Ser Pro Ile Thr Gln Ser Ser Ser 515 520 525 Gln Ala Ser Glu Cys Thr Arg Thr Pro Pro Thr His Phe Glu Met 530 535 540 Leu Asp Ser Thr Ser Thr Pro Leu Lys Val Leu Lys Leu Val Ala 545 550 555 Ser Asn Ser Gln Thr Pro Pro Ser Thr Glu Asn Ile Asn Arg Pro 560 565 570 Thr Arg Val Gly Phe Phe Ser Lys Leu Ser Ala Arg Phe Val Arg 575 580 585 Arg Ser Leu His Lys Gly Glu Lys Asp Ile Ser Glu Gln Gly Arg 590 595 600 Asn Leu Thr Lys 36 745 PRT Homo sapiens misc_feature GenBank Accession No g1749794 36 Met Ile Arg Gly Arg Asn Ser Ala Thr Ser Ala Asp Glu Gln Pro 1 5 10 15 His Ile Gly Asn Tyr Arg Leu Leu Lys Thr Ile Gly Lys Gly Asn 20 25 30 Phe Ala Lys Val Lys Leu Ala Arg His Ile Leu Thr Gly Lys Glu 35 40 45 Val Ala Val Lys Ile Ile Asp Lys Thr Gln Leu Asn Ser Ser Ser 50 55 60 Leu Gln Lys Leu Phe Arg Glu Val Arg Ile Met Lys Val Leu Asn 65 70 75 His Pro Asn Ile Val Lys Leu Phe Glu Val Ile Glu Thr Glu Lys 80 85 90 Thr Leu Tyr Leu Val Met Glu Tyr Ala Ser Gly Gly Glu Val Phe 95 100 105 Asp Tyr Leu Val Ala His Gly Arg Met Lys Glu Lys Glu Ala Arg 110 115 120 Ala Lys Phe Arg Gln Ile Val Ser Ala Val Gln Tyr Cys His Gln 125 130 135 Lys Phe Ile Val His Arg Asp Leu Lys Ala Glu Asn Leu Leu Leu 140 145 150 Asp Ala Asp Met Asn Ile Lys Ile Ala Asp Phe Gly Phe Ser Asn 155 160 165 Glu Phe Thr Phe Gly Asn Lys Leu Asp Thr Phe Cys Gly Ser Pro 170 175 180 Pro Tyr Ala Ala Pro Glu Leu Phe Gln Gly Lys Lys Tyr Asp Gly 185 190 195 Pro Glu Val Asp Val Trp Ser Leu Gly Val Ile Leu Tyr Thr Leu 200 205 210 Val Ser Gly Ser Leu Pro Phe Asp Gly Gln Asn Leu Lys Glu Leu 215 220 225 Arg Glu Arg Val Leu Arg Gly Lys Tyr Arg Ile Pro Phe Tyr Met 230 235 240 Ser Thr Asp Cys Glu Asn Leu Leu Lys Lys Phe Leu Ile Leu Asn 245 250 255 Pro Ser Lys Arg Gly Thr Leu Glu Gln Ile Met Lys Asp Arg Trp 260 265 270 Met Asn Val Gly His Glu Asp Asp Glu Leu Lys Pro Tyr Val Glu 275 280 285 Pro Leu Pro Asp Tyr Lys Asp Pro Arg Arg Thr Glu Leu Met Val 290 295 300 Ser Met Gly Tyr Thr Arg Glu Glu Ile Gln Asp Ser Leu Val Gly 305 310 315 Gln Arg Tyr Asn Glu Val Met Ala Thr Tyr Leu Leu Leu Gly Tyr 320 325 330 Lys Ser Ser Glu Leu Glu Gly Asp Thr Ile Thr Leu Lys Pro Arg 335 340 345 Pro Ser Ala Asp Leu Thr Asn Ser Ser Ala Gln Phe Pro Ser His 350 355 360 Lys Val Gln Arg Ser Val Ser Ala Asn Pro Lys Gln Arg Arg Phe 365 370 375 Ser Asp Gln Ala Gly Pro Ala Ile Pro Thr Ser Asn Ser Tyr Ser 380 385 390 Lys Lys Thr Gln Ser Asn Asn Ala Glu Asn Lys Arg Pro Glu Glu 395 400 405 Asp Arg Glu Ser Gly Arg Lys Ala Ser Ser Thr Ala Lys Val Pro 410 415 420 Ala Ser Pro Leu Pro Gly Leu Glu Arg Lys Lys Thr Thr Pro Thr 425 430 435 Pro Ser Thr Asn Ser Val Leu Ser Thr Ser Thr Asn Arg Ser Arg 440 445 450 Asn Ser Pro Leu Leu Glu Arg Ala Ser Leu Gly Gln Ala Ser Ile 455 460 465 Gln Asn Gly Lys Asp Ser Leu Thr Met Pro Gly Ser Arg Ala Ser 470 475 480 Thr Ala Ser Ala Ser Ala Ala Val Ser Ala Ala Arg Pro Arg Gln 485 490 495 His Gln Lys Ser Met Ser Ala Ser Val His Pro Asn Lys Ala Ser 500 505 510 Gly Leu Pro Pro Thr Glu Ser Asn Cys Glu Val Pro Arg Pro Ser 515 520 525 Thr Ala Pro Gln Arg Val Pro Val Ala Ser Pro Ser Ala His Asn 530 535 540 Ile Ser Ser Ser Gly Gly Ala Pro Asp Arg Thr Asn Phe Pro Arg 545 550 555 Gly Val Ser Ser Arg Ser Thr Phe His Ala Gly Gln Leu Arg Gln 560 565 570 Val Arg Asp Gln Gln Asn Leu Pro Tyr Gly Val Thr Pro Ala Ser 575 580 585 Pro Ser Gly His Ser Gln Gly Arg Arg Gly Ala Ser Gly Ser Ile 590 595 600 Phe Ser Lys Phe Thr Ser Lys Phe Val Arg Arg Asn Leu Asn Glu 605 610 615 Pro Glu Ser Lys Asp Arg Val Glu Thr Leu Arg Pro His Val Val 620 625 630 Gly Ser Gly Gly Asn Asp Lys Glu Lys Glu Glu Phe Arg Glu Ala 635 640 645 Lys Pro Arg Ser Leu Arg Phe Thr Trp Ser Met Lys Thr Thr Ser 650 655 660 Ser Met Glu Pro Asn Glu Met Met Arg Glu Ile Arg Lys Val Leu 665 670 675 Asp Ala Asn Ser Cys Gln Ser Glu Leu His Glu Lys Tyr Met Leu 680 685 690 Leu Cys Met His Gly Thr Pro Gly His Glu Asp Phe Val Gln Trp 695 700 705 Glu Met Glu Val Cys Lys Leu Pro Arg Leu Ser Leu Asn Gly Val 710 715 720 Arg Phe Lys Arg Ile Ser Gly Thr Ser Met Ala Phe Lys Asn Ile 725 730 735 Ala Ser Lys Ile Ala Asn Glu Leu Lys Leu 740 745 37 28 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature primer forward 37 ggttagttac aagcagtcta gtgcaatt 28 38 25 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature primer reverse 38 tgctaccaga ccctaaagaa agaga 25 39 28 DNA Homo sapiens misc_feature Primer taqman 39 ccctctgtag acacgggacc cttttttg 28 

What is claimed is:
 1. A purified nucleic acid molecule or a fragment thereof encoding a protein comprising SEQ ID NO:2 or a portion thereof.
 2. A purified protein comprising a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.
 3. A composition comprising the protein of claim 2 and a labeling moiety.
 4. A composition comprising the protein of claim 2 and a pharmaceutical carrier.
 5. A substrate upon which the protein of claim 2 is immobilized.
 6. An array element comprising the protein of claim
 2. 7. An oligopeptide comprising residue M1 to residue A18 of the protein of claim
 2. 8. A method for detecting expression of a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 in a sample, the method comprising performing an assay selected from two-dimensional polyacrylamide electrophoresis, western analysis, mass spectrophotometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, radioimmunoassay, fluorescence activated cell sorting, and array technology with the sample, thereby detecting expression of the protein in the sample.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the sample is from brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate.
 10. The method of claim 8 wherein the expression when compared to standards is diagnostic of brain disorders or cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate.
 11. A method for using a protein to screen a plurality of molecules and compounds to identify at least one ligand, the method comprising: a) combining the protein of claim 2 with a plurality of molecules and compounds under conditions to allow specific binding; and b) detecting specific binding, thereby identifying a ligand that specifically binds the protein.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the molecules and compounds are selected from agonists, antagonists, bispecific molecules, DNA molecules, small drug molecules, immunoglobulins, inhibitors, mimetics, multispecific molecules, peptides, peptide nucleic acids, pharmaceutical agent, proteins, and RNA molecules.
 13. A method for using a protein to identify an antibody that specifically binds the protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 comprising: a) contacting a plurality of antibodies with the protein of claim 2 under conditions to allow specific binding, and b) detecting specific binding between an antibody and the protein, thereby identifying an antibody that specifically binds the protein.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the antibodies are selected from a polyclonal antibody, a monoclonal antibody, a chimeric antibody, a recombinant antibody, a humanized antibody, a single chain antibody, a Fab fragment, an F(ab′)₂ fragment, an Fv fragment; and an antibody-peptide fusion protein.
 15. A method of using a protein to prepare and purify a polyclonal antibody comprising: a) immunizing a animal with a protein of claim 2 under conditions to elicit an antibody response; b) isolating animal antibodies; c) attaching the protein to a substrate; d) contacting the substrate with isolated antibodies under conditions to allow specific binding to the protein; and e) dissociating the antibodies from the protein, thereby obtaining purified polyclonal antibodies.
 16. A method of using a protein to prepare a monoclonal antibody comprising: a) immunizing a animal with a protein of claim 2 under conditions to elicit an antibody response; b) isolating antibody-producing cells from the animal; c) fusing the antibody-producing cells with immortalized cells in culture to form monoclonal antibody producing hybridoma cells; d) culturing the hybridoma cells; and e) isolating from culture monoclonal antibody that specifically binds the protein.
 17. A method for using a protein to diagnose a disorder comprising: a) performing an assay to quantify the expression of the protein of claim 2 in a sample; b) comparing the expression of the protein to standards, thereby diagnosing a disorder.
 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the sample is selected from brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate.
 19. The method of claim 17 wherein expression is diagnostic of brain disorders or cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate.
 20. A method for testing a molecule or compound for effectiveness as an agonist comprising: a) exposing a sample comprising the protein of claim 2 to the molecule or compound, and b) detecting agonist activity in the sample.
 21. A method for testing a molecule or compound for effectiveness as an antagonist, the method comprising: a) exposing a sample comprising the protein of claim 2 to a molecule or compound, and b) detecting antagonist activity in the sample.
 22. An isolated antibody that specifically binds a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.
 23. A polyclonal antibody produced by the method of claim
 15. 24. A monoclonal antibody produced by the method of claim
 16. 25. A method for using an antibody to detect expression of a protein in a sample, the method comprising: a) combining the antibody of claim 22 with a sample under conditions which allow the formation of antibody:protein complexes; and b) detecting complex formation, wherein complex formation indicates expression of the protein in the sample.
 26. The method of claim 25 wherein the sample is from brain, breast, cervix, colon, lung, ovary, and prostate.
 27. The method of claim 25 wherein complex formation is compared with standards and is diagnostic of brain disorders and cancer.
 28. A method for using an antibody to immunopurify a protein comprising: a) attaching the antibody of claim 22 to a substrate, b) exposing the antibody to a sample containing protein under conditions to allow antibody:protein complexes to form, c) dissociating the protein from the complex, and d) collecting the purified protein.
 29. A composition comprising an antibody of claim 22 and a labeling moiety.
 30. A kit comprising the composition of claim
 29. 31. An array element comprising the antibody of claim
 22. 32. A substrate upon which the antibody of claim 22 is immobilized.
 33. A composition comprising the monoclonal antibody of claim 24 and a pharmaceutical agent.
 34. The composition of claim 33 wherein the composition is lyophilized.
 35. A method for using a composition to assess efficacy of a molecule or compound, the method comprising: a) treating a sample containing a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 with a molecule or compound; b) contacting the sample with the composition of claim 29 under conditions for complex formation; c) determining the amount of complex formation; and d) comparing the amount of complex formation in the treated sample with the amount of complex formation in standards, wherein a difference in complex formation indicates efficacy of the molecule or compound.
 36. A method for using a composition to assess toxicity of a molecule or compound, the method comprising: a) treating a sample containing a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 with a molecule or compound; b) contacting the protein in the sample with the composition of claim 29 under conditions for complex formation; c) determining the amount of complex formation; and d) comparing the amount of complex formation in the treated sample with the amount of complex formation in standards, wherein a difference in complex formation indicates toxicity of the molecule or compound.
 37. A method for treating a cancer comprising administering to a subject in need of therapeutic intervention the antibody of claim
 22. 38. A method for treating a cancer comprising administering to a subject in need of therapeutic intervention the composition of claim
 33. 39. A method for delivering a pharmaceutical agent to a cell comprising: a) attaching the pharmaceutical agent to a bispecific molecule identified by the method of claim 11; and b) administering the bispecific molecule to a subject in need of therapeutic intervention, wherein the bispecific molecule specifically binds the protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 thereby delivering the pharmaceutical agent to the cell.
 40. An agonist that specifically binds the protein of claim
 2. 41. A composition comprising an agonist of claim 40 and a pharmaceutical carrier.
 42. An antagonist that specifically binds the protein of claim
 2. 43. A composition comprising the antagonist of claim 42 and a pharmaceutical carrier.
 44. A pharmaceutical agent that specifically binds the protein of claim
 2. 45. A composition comprising the pharmaceutical agent of claim 44 and a pharmaceutical carrier.
 46. A small drug molecule that specifically binds the protein of claim
 2. 47. A composition comprising the small drug molecule of claim 46 and a pharmaceutical carrier.
 48. An antisense molecule of 18 to 30 nucleotides in length that specifically binds a portion of a polynucleotide of claim 1 or the complement thereof wherein the antisense molecule inhibits expression of the protein encoded by the polynucleotide.
 49. The antisense molecule of claim 48 wherein the antisense molecule comprises at least one modified internucleoside linkage.
 50. The antisense molecule of claim 49 wherein the modified internucleoside linkage is a phosphorothioate linkage.
 51. The antisense molecule of claim 48 wherein the antisense molecule comprises at least one nucleotide analog.
 52. The antisense molecule of claim 51 wherein the nucleotide analog is a 5-methylcytosine. 